Viña Cobos has been producing some of the world’s most renowned Malbec for over a decade. However it always came from their old vines in Lujan de Cuyo. Just last week winemaker and owner Paul Hobbs released a new icon wine to their range – Cobos Malbec Chañares – from the Uco Valley which is set to be a new firm favourite from Argentina.
The first Cobos wine was made in 1999, after Paul Hobbs had been consulting for Catena Zapata and decided he too was convinced enough by the fine terroir to make wine under his own label. For many years, the fruit all came from Lujan. However since the mid 2000s, the Uco Valley has been identified as one of the top wine regions for Mendoza and so Paul started looking for a special vineyard to purchase.
In 2013 he found it. 22 hectares in Chañares in the Los Arboles region of Tunuyan. There were several blocks already planted with vines, and the stoney soils and higher altitude offered the profile he was looking for.
He explains why in this video:
Today there are three new releases from Chañares that you can try:
Bramare Chardonnay 2015
A mineral Chardonnay with a fresh acidity that balances out its otherwise unctuous mouth feel.
Bramare Valle de Uco Malbec 2014
With a portion of the fruit from Chañares and also from other vineyards in the Uco Valley, this regional blend has a delicious balance of rich concentration and fruit. Some more floral notes pop out under the dark fruit.
Cobos Chañares 2014
The new icon for Cobos. This 100% single-vineyard Malbec has structured tannins with a spine of acidity. Wild herb notes are meddled with dark fruit, making it a brooding wine that requires time in a decanter to fully express itself. Could be enjoyed for many years to come, if you can resist!
