A zesty, light- to medium-bodied white, with orange blossom and spice notes, offering tangy acidity and a lively mix of melon, candied orange and Thai basil flavors. A quaffer. Drink now. 1,300 cases made, 500 cases imported. — AN
Highly perfumed, with lemon thyme and lavender aromas, this bright, racy, light-bodied red offers flavors of wild raspberry, pomegranate and dried fig. Drink now. 1,300 cases made, 500 cases imported. — AN
A mouthwatering, light-bodied white, with sleek acidity and a stony underpinning, offering notes of Asian pear, lemon pith and pickled ginger. Drink now. 45,000 cases made, 38,000 cases imported. -A.N.
An elegant rosé, with a supple profile, offering tangerine, white raspberry and melon notes, underpinned by garrigue, white pepper and mineral details. Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah. Drink now. 55,000 cases made, 55,000 cases imported. — GS
Winemaker José Galante pulls this wine from one of Salentein's highest plots in the Uco Valley, then ferments and ages it in new French oak barriques. That oak adds chocolate richness to the wine's plummy fruit while acidity from the high-altitude grapes keeps the wine from feeling heavy. It's polished and elegant, with a core of red fruit that outlasts the wood.
A selection of the top fruit from Salentein's 5,000-acre estate in the heights of the Uco Valley, this radiates freshness, although not in the usual crunchy-red-fruit way. Instead, it has the petrichor scent of summer air after a refreshing rain, hinting at salinity and florals. With three-quarters of the wine aged in 7,000-liter oak casks, the rest in new barriques, the tannins have turned pillowy and broad; they wrap around the fruit with a nutty, tobacco-scented richness. Savory and subdued, it's an elegant malbec that holds its freshness for days after opening.
This may be a fraction of the price of Salentein's Primum Malbec (also recommended here), but it's just as good, in a completely different style. There's no spicy oak or tobacco-scented tannins boosting the fruit here; instead, it's just pure, fresh, floral malbec, purple and bright. Herbal notes add a cool spice, giving it a vibrant Andean feel.
Blackberry, cassis and plum aromas are muscled up and chocolaty. A flush palate with depth is balanced, while this tastes of blackberry and cassis. A hint of raisin works its way onto the finish, which is ripe and seemingly not fortified by tartaric acidity, hence this loses some steam towards the end. Drink through 2022. -MS.
Ripe blackberry aromas border on raisiny but pull back and settle on rich and chocolaty. This is a huge Malbec with a fairly strong current of acidity running through its core that brightens the berry flavors. Drink through 2030. -M.S.
A firm, lightly astringent red, featuring cherry, earth, iron and tobacco flavors. Vibrant, lingering nicely. Think pasta and tomato sauce. Drink now. 79,000 cases made, 38,000 cases imported. -B.S.
Distinctly sweet in aroma and flavor, this red offers ripe cherry, black currant, earth and oak spices flavors. Vibrant, with support from assertive, refined tannins, which drive the long finish. Best from 2021 through 2038. 875 cases made, 175 cases imported. -B.S.
Lovely floral and honey-tinged undertones flank the lemon curd, apple and tangerine notes of this supple, medium-bodied white. Offers a smooth, fresh finish. Drink now through 2021. 330 cases made, 25 cases imported. - G.S.
A concentrated red, backed by fresh acidity that binds the blackberry and currant notes, matched to graphite, savory spice and black tea details. Offers moderate, integrated tannins. Drink now through 2024. 750 cases made, 150 cases imported. -G.S.
Well-crafted, with a smoky undertone detailing the currant and blackberry flavors, matched to cedar, herb and black tea accents. Full, integrated tannins offer support through the olive and bay leaf elements on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Carignan and Marselan. Drink now through 2024. 825 cases made, 50 cases imported. - G.S.
This powerful wine offers a heady mix of strawberry, raspberry and plum aromas alongside accents of soy, olive, ground pepper and dried flowers. The palate is finely textured, with chalky, savory tannins and lifted acidity that support the tangy fruit. Drink now–2029. -C.P.
This firm, based south of Lisbon, has vines in the Douro Valley. Here it has produced two wines. This one is full of juicy black fruits and a mineral structure, is ripe, perfumed and ready to drink. -R.V.
