Ripe and racy, with a briary underpinning to the focused beam of raspberry and boysenberry fruit. The finish is layered with mocha and licorice notes. This “big” wine matches sensationally with charcoal-grilled beef.
Old vine fruit from Lujan de Cuyo (vineyard planted in 1928) and La Consulta (vineyard planted in 1940) give this release substantial color, attack, and body. Many Argentine “Reserva” Malbecs are sadly dominated by excessive oak; this is not one of those wines. The use of well-seasoned barrels allows the heirloom vineyard fruit to shine bright.
Specs
Varietal: 100% Malbec
Origin: Argentina
Appellation: 50% Uco Valley (1940) and 50% Luján de Cuyo (1928)
Barrel Regime: Aged 18 months in French oak (30% first use, 70% second use).
Hector and Pablo were born in Mendoza, the cradle of wine, and were raised together. Their childhood and their home were always connected to a sensorial world, with aromas, ingredients, and flavors that, over time, motivated them to choose the path to become enologists. As adults, they would find these familiar memories and similar passions. Since 2002 they have been dedicated to their project as a small family winery. Today the brothers have evolved to form the new generation of winemakers, leading an evolutionary change in Argentina’s viticulture. With that same spirit, the Durigutti brothers craft their wines and have started to write their own history, a family legacy, in a chosen place where they live and work daily with dedication.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations).
2018 Durigutti Argentinian Reserve Malbec - $55 = 24.43%
hellllllllo again winos, I’m back with another review, and I gotta say, before anything else, that April 17th is global malbec day. So, no matter your opinions on malbec, this brand, or my review, go ahead and order some and you have my personal guarantee this will be here in time to celebrate*.
By no means an expert Malbec drinker, so this will be an experience for both of us.
First impressions: gorgeous deep purple color. Only smell I could really detect is plum, but that may just be the long covid ruining my olfactory range.
My wine fridge is rather full, so this just got an hour in the normal fridge before opening. seemed to work, was an enjoyable temperature for consumption.
aerated with the vinturi instant aerator cuz it’s a fun gimmicky toy and i like the gurgling sound it makes.(they don’t pay me to mention this but if y’all are reading this hey what’s up let’s work something out)
tannins were about medium, acidity was low. strong fruity flavors, i drink a lot of barrel aged stuff and the oak was mildly to nearly unnoticeable to me for what I’m guessing is a 1-2yr aging.
really gentle finish, i saw suggestions to pair with a lean red meat but I’m mostly a ribeye guy so that’s what I did. worked great, but if that’s something important to you probably better off with a leaner cut as the fat can overwhelm a wine with this short of a finish.
I’m interested to see what price this drops at cuz this seems like a banging deal at the retail prices I see online, better yet if it comes out on Casemates under $15/bottle.
Thanks for joining me on this adventure and remember to celebrate Malbec day in 6 weeks with 6-12 of this exact bottle.
@farfromfunny thanks for the rattage! Did you save any to see how it evolved over a couple of days? The 2013 was pretty tight upon opening and definitely needed some time to unwind, even with 7+ years on it. Curious about your thoughts on this vintage!
@knlprez I did! Saved about half the bottle. Unfortunately we just uncorked it yesterday so I won’t be able to update in a timely manner but still plan on finishing it next week or two, guess I’ll keep an eye out for differences
It’s always a treat receiving that UPS notice to expect an “adult-signature-required” package, and never more so than on a blustery, wintery day in New Hampshire. Thank you, Alice! The package contained a bottle of 2018 Durigutti Malbec Reserva, from the Mendoza Highlands, home to excellent malbec. James Suckling gave it a 91-point rating, according to a sticker on the label.
I let the bottle breath 45 minutes before pouring it out for myself and two friends who happily agreed to weigh in. The wine had a lovely, deep, ruby color as one would expect with a malbec. Surprisingly, there was virtually no nose. The first mouth taste was of raspberries, with a smooth, velvety feel, again what we would expect. Acidity was low.
The second surprise was the overall taste, which was muted, albeit very pleasant. But it was not the full-bodied depth one might expect with a malbec. The vineyard’s website mentioned aromas of tobacco and thyme and a richly flavored, fruity finish; we did not detect any of these. We drank it with various cheeses, including cheddar, which I’d read should accompany it well—and it did.
Out of curiosity, we opened another malbec (2019) from Mendoza. Though not a reserve, it had decidedly more nose and was denser in the mouth—more complexity and character. Not that it cast a shadow on the Durigutti, but the difference was striking.
I poured another glass of the Durigutti later in the evening to accompany my pork with rhubarb chutney dinner. It was an excellent pairing and, though there was still no nose, the wine shone a bit more with food.
We determined this is an enjoyable, undemanding, easy drinker that would be great with a range of foods.
2018 Durigutti Malbec Reserva, Argentina
91 Points, James Suckling
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
4-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
323.88/Case for 12x 2018 Durigutti Malbec Reserva, Argentina at Elixir Wine Group
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Thursday, Mar 31 - Monday, Apr 4
2018 Durigutti Argentinian Reserve Malbec
4 bottles for $74.99 $18.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $169.99 $14.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations).
2018 Durigutti Argentinian Reserve Malbec - $55 = 24.43%
hellllllllo again winos, I’m back with another review, and I gotta say, before anything else, that April 17th is global malbec day. So, no matter your opinions on malbec, this brand, or my review, go ahead and order some and you have my personal guarantee this will be here in time to celebrate*.
By no means an expert Malbec drinker, so this will be an experience for both of us.
First impressions: gorgeous deep purple color. Only smell I could really detect is plum, but that may just be the long covid ruining my olfactory range.
My wine fridge is rather full, so this just got an hour in the normal fridge before opening. seemed to work, was an enjoyable temperature for consumption.
aerated with the vinturi instant aerator cuz it’s a fun gimmicky toy and i like the gurgling sound it makes.(they don’t pay me to mention this but if y’all are reading this hey what’s up let’s work something out)
tannins were about medium, acidity was low. strong fruity flavors, i drink a lot of barrel aged stuff and the oak was mildly to nearly unnoticeable to me for what I’m guessing is a 1-2yr aging.
really gentle finish, i saw suggestions to pair with a lean red meat but I’m mostly a ribeye guy so that’s what I did. worked great, but if that’s something important to you probably better off with a leaner cut as the fat can overwhelm a wine with this short of a finish.
I’m interested to see what price this drops at cuz this seems like a banging deal at the retail prices I see online, better yet if it comes out on Casemates under $15/bottle.
Thanks for joining me on this adventure and remember to celebrate Malbec day in 6 weeks with 6-12 of this exact bottle.
*maybe. idk man. I’m just here for the booze
@farfromfunny thanks for the rattage! Did you save any to see how it evolved over a couple of days? The 2013 was pretty tight upon opening and definitely needed some time to unwind, even with 7+ years on it. Curious about your thoughts on this vintage!
@knlprez I did! Saved about half the bottle. Unfortunately we just uncorked it yesterday so I won’t be able to update in a timely manner but still plan on finishing it next week or two, guess I’ll keep an eye out for differences
@farfromfunny
Would be good to know how the profile changed pre/post vinturi, and after a couple/few days to assess it’s potential cellar lifetime.
@farfromfunny you’re great, I just love it man, thanks for the good story
It’s always a treat receiving that UPS notice to expect an “adult-signature-required” package, and never more so than on a blustery, wintery day in New Hampshire. Thank you, Alice! The package contained a bottle of 2018 Durigutti Malbec Reserva, from the Mendoza Highlands, home to excellent malbec. James Suckling gave it a 91-point rating, according to a sticker on the label.
I let the bottle breath 45 minutes before pouring it out for myself and two friends who happily agreed to weigh in. The wine had a lovely, deep, ruby color as one would expect with a malbec. Surprisingly, there was virtually no nose. The first mouth taste was of raspberries, with a smooth, velvety feel, again what we would expect. Acidity was low.
The second surprise was the overall taste, which was muted, albeit very pleasant. But it was not the full-bodied depth one might expect with a malbec. The vineyard’s website mentioned aromas of tobacco and thyme and a richly flavored, fruity finish; we did not detect any of these. We drank it with various cheeses, including cheddar, which I’d read should accompany it well—and it did.
Out of curiosity, we opened another malbec (2019) from Mendoza. Though not a reserve, it had decidedly more nose and was denser in the mouth—more complexity and character. Not that it cast a shadow on the Durigutti, but the difference was striking.
I poured another glass of the Durigutti later in the evening to accompany my pork with rhubarb chutney dinner. It was an excellent pairing and, though there was still no nose, the wine shone a bit more with food.
We determined this is an enjoyable, undemanding, easy drinker that would be great with a range of foods.
Loved the last offerings, reserve or otherwise. In for a case…
mottled-stingy-salmon
https://giphy.com/gifs/kZZPY3dKRPaSc
When is this shipping? I bought the Sonoma Highway only a day before and it arrived last week.