2014 Lubileus

The 2014 Iubileus (I incorrectly spelled it with a J last year) is a cofermentation of Malbec with Cabernet Franc from Gualtallary. This is always more extroverted than La Craie, with tons of flowers and red fruit plus the subtle presence of Cabernet Franc. The tannins are silky and there's great freshness. The vines are ten years old and were planted in a single plot at 1,300 meters altitude. The Malbec grapes fermented in used closed French oak barrels that are rolled daily, while the Cabernet Franc is also fermented in barrels, but in this occasion with the open top and soft pigeage. The wine matured in used French oak barrels for some 16 months. The violet pastille is soon spiced up by some pink pepper, which is ubiquitous in Mendoza, as the tree grows there. Here we have chalky tannins that dry your mouth with an austere minerality. Only 996 bottles were filled unfined and unfiltered in January 2016.