2017 Catena Mundus Bacillus Terrae Adrianna Vineyard

The three reds from Adrianna vineyard felt quite homogeneous in quality; perhaps the slightly warmer years provide more even wines, and the cooler vintages tend to show more differences. Having said that, I was quite impressed by the 2017 Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae, a wine that is usually more backward and is sold later than the other two. There is clout and power but with balance and finesse. The ripeness is very contained, and the texture on the palate is similar to the other two. I guess they harvested earlier to compensate the lower yields and the warm end of the season. The 2016 is offered now, and this 2017 will be sold in September 2020. There are 3,960 bottles of this. It was bottled in November 2018.

Bright saturated ruby. At once more exotic and less exuberant than the 2016 version, with the nose showing a chocolatey ripeness as well as a brooding black-fruit-and-mineral quality. Much more backward on the palate too, with its dark fruit flavors dominated in the early going by powerful mineral grip and building, spreading tannins. But the density and finesse of this wine is already obvious. This hugely concentrated Malbec will need several years to gain in pliancy and sweetness and approach its full aromatic potential. When I originally tasted this wine next to its 2016 sibling, I gravitated to the earlier vintage for its energy and definition, but when I retasted the '17 later on its own, I was knockout out by its finesse of texture and sappy length. And it held up spectacularly for more than a week in the recorked bottle. Very impressive!

A layered and very soft red with checked yet unctuous tannins. Full body and caressing texture. Plenty of meat, earth and decadent notes. Great finish. A joy to taste. Drink or hold.