Bodega Colome 2014 Altura Maxima Malbec

Winemaker Thibaut Delmotte has crafted wines of distinction and international acclaim for Colomé. He believes the Malbec from Altura Maxima Vineyard is the embodiment of two extremes - a traditional grape variety from his French origins made from the vineyard that challenges all convention in the modern viticultural world.

Alcohol: 14.9%

93 POINTS - "Dense, ripe and powerfully fruity, with intense notes of hazelnut and spice to the dark plum, baked cherry and mulled berry flavors. Dark chocolate and espresso details linger on the powerful finish. Drink now through 2024. 500 cases made." - Wine Spectator

93 POINTS - "(from vines at 10,200 feet above sea level, on soil rich in calcaire and granite): Saturated dark ruby. Superripe, even slightly porty aromas of black cherry, beefsteak tomato, roasted plum and chocolate. Extremely dense and bulletproof, with a distinctly roasted quality to its fruit that's countered by surprising acidity. I suspect this wine will need another five years of bottle aging to harmonize. Finishes with exotic mocha and stewed tomato notes, a mounting medicinal quality and strong building tannins. Like a few past vintages of this one-off, reportedly from the highest vineyard in the world, this Malbec is just this side of too much. But 24 hours in the recorked bottle brought more freshness and focus, not less, with dark berries rising to the surface, and I raised my score. Very dense but not heavy." - Stephen Tanzer

The true expression of terroir in this Malbec comes from the extreme altitude at which the vineyard sits, it receives much more sun, much less UV protection, producing thicker skinned grapes that deliver a more robust mouthfeel supported by fresh acidity.