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May 27, 2014
Chaman Red Blend
The sorcerers behind Bodega Chaman’s Red Blend are Luis and Pepe Reginato, but the wise man it’s named after is their father, Jose, who has been making magic with grapes for over 50 years. Luis comes with an Argentine pedigree, having been the winemaker for Luca, Tikal, and Catena Zapata. He’s poured his 12+ years of experience into this family project, a Bordeaux blend that is plush and decadent while maintaining balance and complexity.
The wizadry begins at their family’s vineyard in La Consulta: located at 3,543 feet on an alluvial plain in the Uco Valley, its alluvial soils are rocky and sandy with a high calcium content. They are irrigated in the traditional Mendozan way by meltwater from the Andes. The grapes are perfumed and powerful with exceptional acidity. The blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot (a whopping 55 percent) is aged for 10 months in barrel. Though 50 percent new oak, it’s not overbearing—just completely luxurious.
In fact, the experience of the wine is one of sophisticated luxury. It’s opulent, but not overwrought. The nose offers up funk, wet soil, black cherry, mineral, and dried herbs. The palate is warm and broad, with cherry, brown sugar, and a little vanilla. This wine is a showcase for the majesty of Argentina’s high-altitude winemaking: well-developed flavors with a backbone to support it. Maybe not magic, but some serious winemaking know-how.
