Fin del Mundo Malbec 2023 Reserva - Neuquén

VINTAGE: 2023
PRODUCER: Bodega Fin del Mundo

APPELLATION: Neuquén, Patagonia
VARIETALS: 100% Malbec
AGEING: 9 months in oak
ALCOHOL: 14.4%

RATING: 92 Pts. James Suckling

Intense purple in hue. The nose offers violets and plum with hints of jam. Juicy and bold in the mouth, the violet and glycerin flavors linger at length along with the terse, almost chalky, fresh texture.

The estate is found in Argentina's southern Patagonia, about 500 miles south of Mendoza. Founded in 1999, it is the first and largest winery in the up-and-coming Neuquén region. Since then it has expanded to produce wines and grow grapes from around 870 hectares (2150 acres) of vineyards planted on windswept sandy and stony soils. The winery is run by uncle and niece, Eduardo Eurnekian and Juliana Del Aguila Eurnekian. Renowned winemaking consultant Michel Rolland helped get the project off the ground, and today the wines are crafted by Ricardo Galante of Mendoza fame.

South America's southernmost wine-producing region, it is around twice the size of California. It is a desert with around 180 mm of rain per year, where viticulture is possible only near the rivers that carry meltwater from the Andes providing much-needed irrigation. This ultra-arid climate of warm days and cold nights extends the growing season in the region, slowing the ripening process and letting them develop rich varietal character while retaining acidity. The stony alluvial soils are well drained, and allow root systems to grow deeply into the ground in order to access important minerals and hydration.