Many of the top Argentine producers of malbec aim for as much precision as possible when it comes to bringing out the best of specific sites and terroirs, with some making genuinely great and unforgettable wines. Susana Balbo is one of them. We recently held a vertical tasting with Balbo of her flagship Nosotros wines via Zoom, covering vintages from 2013 to 2019 – with each vintage selected from that year’s best single vineyard, such as Agrelo, Paraje Altamira, Gualtallary or Los Chacayes.
What makes the Nosotros wines exceptional is not just their singular expressions of place and appellation, but how each of the vintages tells a unique story of unparalleled quality. The vertical tasting of Nosotros also proved how top Argentine malbecs can age gracefully. The 2013 vintage from Gualtallary is still quite primary and has barely started to evolve, with aromas of cigar box, glossy blackberries and blueberry fruit. A hint of cassis, black pepper and cedar extends to the full-bodied, ripe but fresh and seamless palate.
“2013, 2016, and 2019 were among the best vintages we had,” Balbo said as we tasted the wines together. 2016 came from Los Chacayes in Valle de Uco, which is known for producing wines with concentration and brooding, powerful structure. But this 2016 was anything but heavy – it was extremely layered with white pepper, dried herbs, minty blue and black fruit joined by violet, cigar, and walnut. All these elements followed through to a juicy palate and lots of dusty tannins.
Balbo acknowledged a transition of their style beginning in 2010, with fine-tuning happening in successive vintages. “Before we used to have 200 percent oak, which is not what it is today,” she said.
Their 2019 vintage from Paraje Altamira best expressed this transition, showing complexity, refinement and layers with minty, mineral blueberries, refined cocoa powder and a delicate balsamic savoriness to the dark fruit. It’s a medium- to full-bodied red but is juicy, well-rounded and persistent. It lasts two minutes and even longer! Tasting it, I clicked the chronograph button on my watch and started counting the finish…
“It is one of our best harvests over the last 20 years,” said Gustavo Bertagna, the winemaking manager for Balbo’s team.
My favorite wine of the vertical tasting, the 2014, also came from Paraje Altamira, but in a wetter and cooler context. It’s extremely seductive with its spicy and peppery character, and it also shows savory dried herbs, black peppercorn, lavender, cedar, polished fruit and tannins. It’s a beauty to drink now but will continue to age wonderfully over the next decade.
We’d love to come back to these wines again in the next five to 10 years. All they say now is that when it comes to top Argentine malbecs, think twice before pulling out the cork.
– Zekun Shuai, Senior Editor
