This is based on samples provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.

 

 

2012 Piattelli Torrontés Premium Reserve

2013 Piattelli Malbec Rosé Premium Reserve

2011 Piattelli Malbec Premium Reserve

2009 Piattelli Cabernet Sauvignon Grande Réserve

 

 

 

 

Piattelli is committed to producing wines that reflect our landscape

and climate while striving to preserve the purity of our environment.

 

 

Overview:

These wines were provided to me for an Earth Day #BevChat on Twitter.  Unfortunately the wines arrived after the chat session.  I was able to sit in on #BevChat to hear about the winery and their Sustainability Initiatives.  Even though I didn’t have the wines to taste, the overall tone of the chat was very positive.  People seemed to love the wines.

 

 

About the company:

Argentina Wines have Captured the World’s Attention…

…And with good reason!  Hello and welcome to Piattelli Vineyards, a unique high-end and down-to-earth producer of estate wines from Argentina.  We are committed to creating delicious, authentic wines infused with our love for the people and process of Argentina’s storied winemaking tradition.  From classic Cabernet to playful Torrontés, our portfolio of sumptuous varietals represents the very best of Argentina’s wine country (and includes some of the best Malbec wines on the market).  Here at Piattelli Vineyards, we are proud to offer estate wines that are sure to delight even the most discerning of palates.  We invite you to explore our site and get to know the Piattelli family. To learn more about organic wines and the benefits of estate-level winemaking, please visit our Wine Education page.

 

Much more information is available on the winery’s website by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

Here are a few of the sustainable practices being utilized by Piattelli:

Carbon Footprint

•           Gravity Flow winery in Cafayate

•           Mountainside architectural design minimizes our need for electricity

•           First gravity flow winery in Salta region (3rd in Argentina)

•           Preserves integrity of wine by reducing heat and air leaked into pipes from electric pumps

•           Winery constructed with local materials

•           No transportation required as 100% of our grapes are grown onsite

•           Grapes harvested by hand, eliminating tractors and other mechanized tools

 

Water

•           Water sourced from Andes snow-melt fed pond

•           Conserve water by using a drip system and surface irrigation over flood irrigation

•           Onsite wastewater treatment plant

•           Water that isn’t absorbed by soil is channeled back into pond without use of electricity

 

Farming Methods

• Mendoza grapes are USDA certified organic

•           Avoid chemical fertilization by using our composted grape byproduct to improve soil fertility.

•           Avoid chemical pesticides by using natural alternatives

•           Hand prune vines to provide optimal leaf canopy, airflow and sunlight

 

Cultural Respect

•           Work within natural habitat by allowing cacti and Algarroba trees in vineyard at the expense of additional growing space

•           Winery constructed to reflect local architecture and design

•           Preservation of found artifacts onsite, including the famous Mortero stones crafted by indigenous Diguita people

•           Local art displayed throughout winery

 

 

 

About Crave Local

Wine samples for this post were provided by Crave Local.  As a nationally recognized lifestyle blog, Crave Local offers brands and sponsors a way to affordably connect with, engage, and establish communities on social media.  To learn more about social sponsorships for your brand or business, please contact their team here.

 

 

Our mission:  To help people make better choices and delicious decisions every day.

Through recipes and behind the scenes stories, we educate people about what to buy, how to make, and where to find products and services that make life sweet.

 

For more information on Crave, visit their site by clicking here.

 

 

 

Here is the line up for this tasting:

 

 

 

2012 Piattelli Torrontés Premium Reserve – SRP $15.99

This wine is 100% Torrontés from the estate’s vineyards in the Cafayate Valley.  20% of the wine was aged in new oak barrels for four months after which it was clarified, bottled and bottle aged for an additional 4 months.

 

This has 14.3% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a vibrant yellow with a slight greenish tint.  The very appealing nose has tart apples, peach, lemon zest, orange blossoms, pineapple and a touch of baking spice.  This has medium body and crisp, citrusy acidity.  On the palate apples and peach jump out first followed almost immediately by tart lemon with a touch of spicy oak coming in on the back end.  The finish has good length with citrus and spicy oak.  The wine is nice up front until the oak kicks in and tries to take center stage.  This wine is better with food to help buffer the aggressive oak.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

2013 Piattelli Malbec Rosé Premium Reserve – SRP $13.99

A touch of Torrontés is added to the Malbec for this Rosé.  The winery utilized the traditional Saignée method with juice bled off Piattelli Grand Reserve Malbec grapes.

 

This has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, bright peachy-pink color.  The bright and fruity nose has cherries, strawberries, orange zest, white flowers and just a hint of spice.  This has medium body with good acidity and just a touch of sweetness.  On the palate the bright fruit jumps out first with a touch of spicy oak coming in a bit later.  The finish has decent length with the oak adding a touch of lingering bitterness.  (87 pts)

 

 

 

2011 Piattelli Malbec Premium Reserve – SRP $15.99

This wine is 100% Malbec from the estate’s Cafayate Valley vineyard.  The grapes underwent 3 days of cold maceration before being fermented in 5,000 to 10,000 liter stainless steel tanks.  The wine was aged for 8 months in small, second use French and American oak barrels.  After bottling, the wines received an additional 6 months of bottle age before being released.

 

This has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep maroon to purple color.  The inviting nose has plums, blackberries, dying wood embers, baking spices, earthy underbrush, dark roast coffee and a touch of lavender.  This has a medium body with soft to moderate tannins and decent acidity.  On the palate spicy fruit and smoke grabs hold initially, slowly allowing dark roast coffee and earthy elements to take over.  The finish has decent length but gets a touch soft.  This is an easy drinking wine that would work well by itself or with a cheese and meat platter with friends.  (89 pts)

 

 

 

2009 Piattelli Cabernet Sauvignon Grande Réserve – SRP $21.99

This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from 30 year old vines in the high altitude Uco Valley in the Mendoza Region.  The grapes underwent 5 days of cold maceration before being fermented in 5,000 to 10,000 liter stainless steel tanks with manual “punch-down” for optimal skin/juice interaction.  The wine was aged for 12 months in small, first and second use French and American oak barrels.  After bottling, the wines received an additional 12 months of bottle age before being released.

 

This has 14.5% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.

 

My Tasting Note

The wine is a deep, dark ruby red color, much lighter at the edge.  The bold nose has cassis, mint, blackberries, dried herbs, dark bittersweet chocolate and a cedar.  This has a medium body with soft to moderate tannins and good acidity.  On the palate the minty cassis and berries are joined on the back end by chocolate and spicy oak.  The finish has good length with the mint and oak carrying the load and the fruit in the background providing some needed sweetness.  (88 pts)

 

 

 

Closing Thoughts

These wines are well made offerings from a winery committed to bettering the environment.  As a word of caution, the wines have been aged in oak and show the oak influences.  Generally wines with moderate oak influences are better with food rather than being viewed as a wine to casually sip on its own.  Other than the Malbec, I would not classify these as wines for a party or get together with friends, serve them with the proper food and you will be rewarded.

 

 

 

Connect with me

You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two.  Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets.  I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.

 

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Cheers!

 

 

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Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines.  I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar.  I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com.  Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear.  There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.

 

 

Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase.  I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive.  I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount.  Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges.  None of the prices include the sales tax.

 

 

All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.

 

 

 

Cheers!