2010 Bramare Rebon Vineyard Malbec

The 2010 Bramare Malbec Rebon Vineyard is from the Rebon Vineyard in La Consulta from seven-year-old vines. After a 27-day total maceration, it was aged for 18 months in French and American oak barrels, 70% new. It has a primal, opulent bouquet with dark cherries, Indian ink, creme de cassis and a touch of coconut with fine delineation. The palate is full-bodied, with layers of ripe dark cherry and cassis fruit, but the tannins here are very fine and, overall, it is more refined and focused than other 2010 releases from this estate. It still has a bone-crunching intensity towards the finish, with a very long tail of sweet, licorice and brine-tinged fruit. Drink 2015-2025. Paul Hobbs has been an integral part of the Argentinean wine scene since the late 1980s when he worked with Nicolas Catena, as well as running his own respected namesake winery in California. It was a pleasure to taste with him in London earlier this year, but even then, I expressed some reservation about the alcohol levels on some his older wines from Vina Cobos. They are certainly fashioned in a style aimed directly towards those with a penchant for bold, full-bodied, rich expressions of Argentinean Malbec. Though I think they are well-crafted, tasting through the entire portfolio of recent releases, they do tend to blend into one, whereas I feel that other producers are moving towards translating the individuality of terroirs into individuality of their wines. Hobbs clearly knows what he is doing and having spoken at length, it is clear that he is aiming to dial everything down - just a little. The Felino range is fermented in stainless steel and sees 15% undergo maturation with oak staves. Importer: Paul Hobbs Imports, Sebastopol, CA; tel. (707) 824-9879.