The wines of Escala Humana, Argentina
Website: https://www.escalahumanawines.com/
Escala Humana is the project of Germán Masera, who makes wine for Matías Michelini as his day job. He’s been making his own wines since 2015.
Liverrá was the first project: fruit-forward, smashable natural wines. I tasted four of those here.
Then there are the more serious (and more expensive) Credo wines, of which I tried two. These are seriously impressive.
Escala Humana Livverá Bonarda 2018 Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina
13% alcohol. Brooding nose of sweet black fruits with some pepper, tar and some green hints. Really vivid. The palate is supple with green framing to the juicy black cherry and blackberry fruit, as well as savoury notes of olive and spice. Has good structure and acidity, with fabulous drinkability. The antithesis of lush, rich, overripe Argentine wines that were creeping in a while ago. This tastes quite Italian. 92/100 (£19.50 The Sourcing Table)
Escala Humana Livverá Bequignol 2020 El Zampal, Uco Valley, Argentina
13% alcohol. Lighter-style red with a lovely peppery edge to the fresh, floral cherry and redcurrant fruit. It’s so smooth and rounded, with a nice peppery edge, with some amazing spicy detail on the finish. This is sappy and seductive. Really lovely. 94/100
Escala Humana Livverá Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 El Peral, Uco Valley, Argentina
13.5% alcohol. Lovely vivid blackcurrant fruit here with some nice green notes supporting the floral fruit, and a bit of tannic grip on the finish. It’s beautifully pure with lovely supple fruit and nice tannic structure. Chewy. 92/100
Escala Humana Livverá Malbec 2019 Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Argentina
14% alcohol. There’s a slight spicy, chocolatey edge to the nose here with fleshy, floral black cherry and blackberry fruit, good acidity and a bit of structure, making this a pretty but also a robust expression of Malbec. Such a lovely, authentic expression of Malbec. 92/100
Escala Humana Credo Semillon El Peral 2018 Tupungato, Mendoza
13% alcohol. This is fresh, expressive and detailed with a lovely crystalline citrus fruit character. Concentrated and rich with a mineral edge, some orange peel, and a bright lemony finish, as well as waxy herbal notes. Such precision. 94/100
Escala Humana Credo Malbec El Peral 2018 Tupungato, Mendoza
14.5% alcohol. This is beautifully floral and expressive with green-tinged black cherry fruit with some blackcurrant, too. The palate is fresh and detailed with lovely fresh, floral detail. Very fine and bright, showing juicy raspberry and cherry notes. Some structure, but also amazing freshness and detail. Really fine. 95/100
UK agent is Indigo Wines
Find these wines with wine-searcher.com
