RKS Wine: The Greatest Wine Since Sliced Bread? How Do We Deal with an Argentinian Monster?

After I review a wine, I may look what other reviewers have to say about it. Some critics I take seriously and others not so and then there is Luca Maroni who often scores wines in the 90’s when they deserve to be in the 80’s. What would you deduce from insanely high ratings?

For Alta-Yarí Gran Corte 2018 Tim Atkins gave it a glowing 97. Atkins is not Luca Maroni and his 97 is worth noting as a marker for possibly a great wine.

So what rating does RKS Wine give this wine?

It is an Argentinian wine from Mendoza with a 60% Cabernet Franc, 35% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Individually these grapes can make great Mendozian reds but jumble them together?

It has a deep blackberry colour. On the nose redolent with blackberry, blueberry, cherry cola and black plum. On the palate there are moderate tannins just short of being thick and persistent. Penetrating blackberry, blueberry, cactus pear all with a long finish. At 14.5% the wine is a heavy hitter too powerful for the moment. Given its tannins and controlled acidity it will evolve over the next 7 years but into what I am not quite sure. My guess is that it will soften and lose its ferocious edge. This wine is definitely not for the faint at heart with its 14.5% alcohol content. That extra .50 alcohol over 14 almost takes the wine to obscene levels. My thoughts are that a few years in the bottle will mellow this Argentinian monster. Ageing wine is chump’s game but listen to me dear readers as I am no Luca Maroni although who knows with all his genetic tracing I may just be his long lost brother! I hope the new French oak will tone itself down over a few years.

Bodegas Fabre makes a wickedly delicious Malbec and also bottles Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon as single varietals.

A big brash wine which hopefully Father Time will bless.

(Alta-Yarí Gran Corte 2019, Guatallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Bodegas Fabre, Mendoza, Argentina, $29.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 24894, 750 mL, 14.5%, RKS Wine Rating 90/100).