Cavas de Weinert Gran Vino 2000

Luján de Cuyo, Northern Region, Mendoza, Argentina
$25-30 available in select private liquor stores  +710343

www.bodegaweinert.com

Even bigger than the great divide between white and red wine lovers is the Old World/New World style camps. There is no right or wrong – it’s all personal preference. Some people like fruit and body forward (NW), while some people favour tradition and terroir based wines (OW). I tasted a wine this week that has one root planted firmly in both worlds.

Founded in 1975, Bodega y Cavas de Weinert is located in Lujan de Cuyo, a top quality wine region in Argentina. Don Bernardo C. Weinert, founder and owner, decided to found his own winery in Argentina with one unconditional philosophy: producing high quality, sophisticated, French-styled ‘old world’ wines. And that he did – in 1977 he produced Weinert Malbec Star, a widely acclaimed hit and quickly snatched up cult wine, recognized at the time as THE top Malbec.

This, the Gran Vino, is a blend of 40% Malbec, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot that has spent up to 30 months in large French oak barriques. Instead of the overt oaky punch of many South American reds, this is velvety and subtle. The bottle I tried was already 10 years old (2002 is the vintage currently on most store shelves), and could still have gone another 5-7 years. Complex dried cherry, cured meats, aged cedar and prune floats out of the glass, luring you into baked plum, black currants, soft anise, spice and caramel cherry. Tannins are up there but finely grained and well integrated. The lengthy finish has a whiff of smoke. This is a wine of personality – the kind you really want to get to know well over a few hours. And this is the thanks you get for holding onto a well constructed wine for a few years. If you’re not a fan of new world wines, try this. If you’re not a fan of old world wines, try this. We paired with thick cut, roasted pork loin chops, but duck would also make a great mate.

Rating:  (click here to see what our wine ratings mean)

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Cavas de Weinert Gran Vino 2000

Complex dried cherry, cured meats, aged cedar and prune floats out of the glass, luring you into baked plum, black currants, soft anise, spice and caramel cherry. Tannins are up there but finely grained and well integrated. The lengthy finish has a whiff of smoke. This is a wine of personality – the kind you really want to get to know well over a few hours. And this is the thanks you get for holding onto a well constructed wine for a few years. We paired with thick cut, roasted pork loin chops, but duck would also make a great mate.