Amalaya Gran Corte

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Nov/2023

2022 -

"The 2022 Gran Corte, a blend of 85% Malbec, 9% Cabernet Franc and 6% Tannat from Calchaquí Valley, matured for 12 months in used oak barrels. It boasts a purple hue and offers aromas of plum and white pepper, layered with chutney/oak notes. Indulgent, bold and juicy, its fine, reactive tannins create a compact, moderately rough palate. This is a flavorful high-altitude red."

James Suckling, Mar/2023

2021 -

"Peppercorn, anise spices, graphite and hot stones to the fresh blackberries and blueberries. A hint of violet, too. Full-bodied and juicy on the palate with fresh flavors of blue and purple fruits coated by firm, fine-grained tannins. Will soften more in one or two years. 85% malbec, 9% cabernet franc and 6% tannat. Drink from 2024."

Decanter World Wine Awards 2023

2021 -

"Fragrant, showing herbal aromas, rich blackberries and oak spices on the nose. Opulent and juicy with rounded tannins. Mineral finish."

Tim Atkin MW, Argentina 2023 Special Report

2021 -

"Made in substantial volumes and all the more impressive for that, Gran Corte marries Malbec with 9% Cabernet Franc and 6% Tannat. Matured in French and a little American wood, it’s sappy, lively and perfumed, with good texture, blackberry, violet and patisserie spice flavours and supple, palate-caressing tannins. 2023-29."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Sep/2022

2021 -

"The 2021 Amalaya Gran Corte is a blend of 85% Malbec, 9% Cabernet Franc and 6% Tannat from the Calchaquí Valley and was aged for 12 months in used American and French barrels. Dark purple in hue. The nose presents notes of vanilla and mocha initially followed by hints of syrup, red fruit jam and spicy chutney. Broad with fairly insistent tannins, the alcoholic energy is well-compensated for by the acidity."

Tim Atkin MW, Argentina Special Report 2022

2020 -

"I’ve long been a fan of this Gran Corte, produced from a blend of Malbec with 9% Cabernet Franc and 6% Tannat. Matured in older French and American wood, it’s a poised, nuanced cuvée, showing stony minerality, liquorice, plum and blueberry fruit and a freshness that’s sometimes lacking in wines from northern Argentina. 2023-28"

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Nov/2021

2020 -

"The 2020 Gran Corte is a blend of 85% Malbec with 9% Cabernet Franc and 6% Tannat from Cafayate aged for 12 months in used barrels. The intense nose offers notes of blackberry chutney, syrup and hints of spice with a balsamic backdrop. Juicy with a terse texture, the tannins bring depth without interfering with the nimble flow or dark fruit flavors."

James Suckling, Apr/2022

2020 -

"Deep and brooding, with lavender and spice notes to the black and blue fruit. Medium to full body, showing meaty spice and blackberries. Ripe and fine-grained tannin. 85% malbec, 9% cabernet franc and 6% tannat. Drink now."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Nov/2022

2020 -

"2020 was quite different in the north than in Mendoza, as in Salta it was a rainier year. The harmonious and elegant 2020 Gran Corte shows very well, with nuance and subtleness, serious, with moderate ripeness. It's a blend of Malbec with 9% Cabernet Franc and 6% Tannat that feels very integrated and complementing each other. It matured in neutral, well-seasoned oak barrels for 12 months. A bargain..."

Decanter World Wine Awards 2022

2020 -

"Opulent, rich and pronounced on the nose, and the palate is laced with plush fruit and structured tannins."

Wine Enthusiast, Nov/2022

2020 -

"The aromatic nose of this Malbec-based blend shows peppercorn and red-berry aromas. Full bodied and with good acidity, the wine delivers grassy notes, fruit flavors and a touch of spice framed by smooth tannins."

James Suckling, May/2021

2019 -

"Plum, cherry, violet, chocolate -orange and toffee aromas. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, fine tannins and a creamy, plush texture. Bright acidity, too. Balanced and flavorful. Drink or hold."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Dec/2020

2019 -

"The 2019 Gran Corte Barrel Selection is a field blend of Malbec and Cabernet Franc made with grapes from Finca San Isidro in Cafayate. It is a wine aged in the best French oak and you can tell. An intense violet in hue, the nose offers fresh plum and a hint of jam all kept in an empowering wooden box. Open and balsamic in nature, the camphor dials up the volume a notch. In the mouth it’s creamy and voluminous with firm, juicy tannins that lend depth and enhance the long, pleasant finish."

Descorchados, 2021

2019 -

"This blend is based on 85% malbec plus 9% cabernet franc, and the rest is tannat. The wine was aged in barrels for a year, and it's intense and muscular with very young and somewhat wild tannins and succulent black fruits. A wine that fills the mouth with ripeness, but that also has a firm tannin structure to support all that weight and density."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Mar/2021

2019 -

"The 2019 Gran Corte is a blend of 85% Malbec and 9% Cabernet Franc plus 6% Tannat that feel very integrated and complementary of each other. The wine comes through as serious and balanced, rich and ripe but without excess and with some tannins that would welcome some more time in bottle and/or food. 78,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2020."

Wine Spectator, Feb/2022

2019 -

"Big and well-structured, with rich acidity supporting the dried berry, dark plum and Asian spice flavors, which show graphite notes. The overtly tannic finish has stone accents. Drink now through 2025."

Tim Atkin MW Best of Argentina Report 2020

2018 -

James Suckling, Apr/2020

2018 -

"Blackberries, figs and violet aromas oozing out from the glass with a juicy, round palate, propped up by well-crafted, polished tannin. A blend of 85% malbec, 9% cabernet franc and 6% tannat. Drink now or hold."

James Suckling, Mar/2019

2017 -

"An attractive array of violets and dark berries on the nose, leading to a smooth, rich and silky palate that is laced with cedary oak influence. There’s a wealth of fresh and polished appeal in play here. Drink or hold."

Decanter World Wine Awards 2019

2017 -

"85% Malbec, 15% Cabernet Franc. Great density and concentration of flavour here with pure dark fruits, flowers and spices complemented by the herbal spiciness of sage and cassis leaf. A perfect Malbec for beef empanadas."

Wine Spectator, Dec/2019

2017 -

"Taut and well-framed, with sinewy power to the dried dark currant, wild plum and black olive flavors, backed by medium-grained tannins. Hot stone and spice details show on the finish. Drink now through 2024. 10,500 cases made, 600 cases imported."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Sept/2019

2017 -

"Saturated medium ruby. Aromas of crushed blackberry, licorice and saline minerality. A step up in sweetness and density from the 2018 Malbec but leavened by firm high-altitude acidity. This barrel selection will offer even wider appeal than the 2018 Malbec owing to its sweetness and rather soft tannins. Finishes with good length. Another excellent value. (14.5% alcohol with a healthy 6.15 grams per liter of acidity)"

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate Oct/2019

2017 -

"The 2017 Gran Corte is an easy to drink blend of Malbec with 9% Cabernet Franc and 6% Tannat from Cafayate. It has ripe and grapey aromas and hints of blueberries and raisins, with integrated spicy oak. The palate is medium-bodied and revealed good fruit, fine tannins and a soft mouthfeel, nicely textured. 78,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in April 2018."

Los Angeles International Wine Competition 2017

2016 -

Gold Medal and Best of Class

Tim Atkin Master of Wine 2018 Report: Best of Argentina

2016 -

Tim Atkin MW, Argentina Special Report 2017

2016 -

James Suckling, Apr/2018

2016 -

“Although this has plenty of alcohol, the blackberry and blueberry aromas are fresh and the tannins are pleasantly dry. A hint of mint helps to freshen things up at the finish. With slightly less ripeness and more acidity this would rate higher. Drink or hold.”

Antonio Galloni’s Vinous, Jul/2018

2016 -

"Full, bright ruby. Dark berry and licorice aromas are complicated by oak notes of coffee, mocha and bitter chocolate. Suave, gentle and easygoing but with good definition and a touch of medicinal reserve to its creamy dark raspberry fruit. A highly successful blend with mineral lift, this wine spreads out on the back end to dust the tongue and incisors. The tannins are sweet and ripe. I like this!"

Gismondi on Wine, May/2018

2016 -

"Amalaya is a modern Argentine producer located in Cafayate, Salta. Amalaya, or a hope for miracle, is nod to the local farmers who made offerings in hope of a large and high-quality harvest each year. At 1,800 meters above sea level, the winery has two main vineyard sites at Las Mercedes and San Isidro. There are 107 hectares planted with a hundred more to come. The site is cool and dry, with poor soils and a huge daily thermal amplitude, all of which set the stage for its compelling wines. But 2016 was anything but a miracle vintage, unless, of course, just making wine counts. The harvest yielded the lowest production in 20 years, some 40 percent less than 2015. It opens with heightened acidity and spicy, black fruit notes before a cooler, skinny palate with savoury, peppery red fruit flavours and a touch of tomato. There is fine intensity but the finish is short. This is ready to drink and is best served with lamb chops or sausages. The blend is an 85/10/5 mix of malbec, cabernet franc, tannat."

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, Dec/2016

2014 -

"The 2014 Amalaya Gran Corte is a blend of Malbec with some 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Tannat that wants to showcase the potential of their vineyards in Cafayate. Rains were the average 125 liters (extremely low compared to other places and the vines need to be irrigated or they'd die), and the year was very balanced, for them one of the best in recent times. The grapes were picked at full ripeness, fermented with indigenous yeasts and the wine matured in one-third new oak barrels (two-thirds French, the rest American) for one year. Until 2012, there was a lot of purchased grapes and in 2014, it's 100% of their own grapes, and you really notice a big step up in quality. This is harvested up to 20 days after the Amalaya Malbec and you get darker fruit; also, the influence of the oak is more noticeable, with abundant sweet spices (cinnamon, vanilla) and a core of decayed violets. The palate is round, tasty and very spicy, with some smokiness, displaying a more commercial profile. 78,000 bottles produced."

Decanter World Wine Awards 2016

2014 -

Silver Medal

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, Aug/2015

2012 -

"The Gran Corte is a blend of Malbec with some 7% each of Cabernet Franc and Tannat harvested quite ripe from their Finca San Isidro vineyard in the highest part of Cafayate. The Cabernet Franc and Tannat are pruned in a parral style, in a pergola. Part of the wine fermented in oak barrels (all the Tannat and Cabernet Franc, and around half of the Malbec) with a long maceration of 45-50 days in contact with the skins. All the wine aged in French oak barriques (one third new) for around one year. There are plenty of smoke, spices and toasty notes derived from the élevage, and the fruit is quite ripe, blackberries and plums. The palate is medium to full-bodied, ripe and juicy with sweet tannins. 144,000 bottles produced."