2011 Felino Malbec

The 2011 Felino Malbec was picked from March 28 until May 3 from vineyards in Lujan de Cuyo, Maipu and Uco Valley, with malolactic fermentation in barrel and eight months in French and American oak, of which 20% is new. The bouquet offers much more delineation than the Merlot, with bright red currant and iodine notes, later joined by scents of crushed violet. The palate is full-bodied with dense, slightly aggressive tannins. There is a core of crisp black fruit with a saline finish that, again, feels a little brutish in the mouth. With bottle age, the edges will be rounded off, but it is severe and uncompromising at the moment. Drink now-2018. Paul Hobbs has been an integral part of the Argentinean wine scene since the late 1980s when he worked with Nicolas Catena, as well as running his own respected namesake winery in California. It was a pleasure to taste with him in London earlier this year, but even then, I expressed some reservation about the alcohol levels on some his older wines from Vina Cobos. They are certainly fashioned in a style aimed directly towards those with a penchant for bold, full-bodied, rich expressions of Argentinean Malbec. Though I think they are well-crafted, tasting through the entire portfolio of recent releases, they do tend to blend into one, whereas I feel that other producers are moving towards translating the individuality of terroirs into individuality of their wines. Hobbs clearly knows what he is doing and having spoken at length, it is clear that he is aiming to dial everything down - just a little. The Felino range is fermented in stainless steel and sees 15% undergo maturation with oak staves. Importer: Paul Hobbs Imports, Sebastopol, CA; tel. (707) 824-9879.