2005 Don David, Michel Torino

Cafayate Valley, Salta

Color: Red
Name: Don David
Vineyard: Michel Torino
Type: Malbec
Origin: Cafayate Valley, Salta
Year: 2005
Price: $17.00
Rating: 5.4
Pocho's Pick
Review: Wine magazine recently awarded this outstanding wine 2nd place and 95 points in their Argentine Malbec tasting writing "Nice intensity of liquorice fruit with good concentration ... modern, juicy, sexy wine ... a superb palate with length and sweetly toasted oak." Argentina is gradually doing for Malbec what New Zealand has already done for Sauvignon Blanc - redefining the style and creating sustained worldwide interest. "Malbec is Argentina's calling card. Nowhere else in the world, not even in its home territory of south-west France, does Malbec attain the stature it does here". Simon Woods, FT Weekend, 01/09/01 Customers may well remember the terrific quality of Don David 2002, so good that it came top of the Decanter magazine 'all-comers' tasting, beating many a more glamorous wine in the process. Bordeaux lovers delighted in Don David's rich, dark fruit, like a super-charged Medoc. Sourced from some of the highest vineyards in the world, where the air is pure, the days long and water (mainly from snowmelt) is abundant, this is a red of exceptional richness and purity. While the 2002 scored a massive 95 points in a comprehensive 'Wine' magazine tasting, the 2003, thanks to a magnificent vintage, is finer still and has already scooped Silver in Buenos Aires. Dark and concentrated with aromas of plums, tobacco and minerals. smooth, mouth-filling, berry fruit flavours supported by nuances of fine, spicy oak. Very impressive and complex. We tried this wine with Spanish cuisine and found it managed to cut through the piquant sauces quite nicely and contrasted the other subtle food flavors with a nice fruitiness. The texture of this wine was big but very smooth. We were surprised at the high alcohol content 13.9% for the wine did not taste hot nor did it seem overly strong. This is a wine meant for food, not one of those that is so complex that it can’t bear comparison with anything but equally complex tasting cheeses as some big wines from France or California, nevertheless the fullness of its texture will satisfy. We suspect there is considerable artistry as well as technology behind this superb wine and we also expect the wines from this maker will exceed expectations. We can’t wait to try more.
Comments: Displaying expressive plum jam, raisin and pipe tobacco aromas, with toasty vanilla notes, the wine has balanced, spicy dark fruits and cassis, almond and nutty notes on the long finish.

The Nillni's Great Wine Tasting Adventure

2005 Don David, Michel Torino