2018 Caro

Beautiful, complete aromas of currants, sweet tobacco and iodine with some crushed cement, following through to a medium to full body with fine, linear tannins and a chewy finish that lasts a long time. Finesse with structure. Give it two or three years to soften. Try after 2022.

Combining the considerable talents of Fernando Buscema and Philippe Rolet (the former made the wine, the latter did the blend), Caro is one of the wines of the vintage in 2018. Paraje Altamira is the source of this finely judged cuvée of Malbec and 24% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 80% new wood. Subtle, graceful and perfumed, it’s a wine that carries its structure and concentration lightly, with graphite, cassis and blueberry fruit, fresh acidity and harmonious, caressing tannins. Superb stuff.

The 2018 Caro is a blend of 76% Malbec with 36% Cabernet Sauvignon from Paraje Altamira, Uco Valley, aged for 18 months in French barrels, 80% of them new. Garnet red in the glass. The complex nose is more inference than statement; everything is present, but nothing stands out. Fresh plum and blackcurrant, country herbs, hints of violet, oak and spice feature alongside a touch of undergrowth. But the key is what happens in the mouth. It’s sheer velvet with broad, gently reactive tannins that deliver a chalky, juicy texture while the precise, detailed flavors grow more prominent with each sip. This is a wine where one can switch off their mind and simply enjoy, a rare and attractive quality.