Casarena Naoki Single Vineyard Malbec 2020

Casarena "Naoki" Single Vineyard Malbec, Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina, 2020 

Grape: 100% Malbec, hand harvested, aged 12 months in new and used French oak barrels

Bright carmine red colour with topaz hues; wonderful varietal expression on the nose with rich red and black fruits with a mineral and herbal component typical of the Naoki vineyard; impeccably smooth on the palate with svelte tannins and a noticeable freshness with a fine spine of acidity here cutting through the rich core of powerful fruit. Expressive and complex.

"The Finca Naoki estate, the youngest of the Casarena properties, is located along the edge of Route 40 in Agrelo and was planted around 2010 on calcareous soils. That's probably where the tannins got their grip and those little claws that take over the palate. It has flavors of tart black fruit and slight floral touches in a wine that’s fibrous rather than fat and has deep flavors and very well-integrated oak that comes from aging."

93/100 points, Patricio Tapia - Descorchados, January 2023

Also 93/100 points, Tim Atkin MW, February 2023

Food Match: Chateaubriand, Tomahawk steak, rib of beef, butternut squash steaks au poivre.