Clos de los Siete 2006
New vintage of this rather controversial wine. Why controversial? Well, anything with the name Michel Rolland on the label is bound to stir up a bit of discussion, and this wine has been criticized in past vintages for being just too sweet, too ripe and too much everything.
I don't mind it. In its style, which is a distinctly new world one, the 2006 is a very good wine. I'd take it over any of Chile's icon wines, for example, and, at £10.99 (with discounts available at both Majestic and Oddbins), it's good value for money. Here's my note:
Clos de los Siete 2006 Mendoza, Argentina
A collaborative project by seven producers under the banner of Michel Rolland, this is a blend of Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Very dark in the glass, this is not a shy wine: it's 15% alcohol, and the grapes are picked quite late, by hand, before undergoing a cold pre-ferment maceration. The dominant feature here is sweet, lush, dark fruits. The oak, which gives a spicy sheen, is very much in the background. There's some structure here, with grippy tannins hiding under the sweet fruit, and overall the wine is savoury in character. My verdict? While this is clearly a modern, new world-style red, with its tannic structure it retains balance, and if you can get over the alcoholic heat, then this is a great companion to the usual Argentinean fare of large quantities of steak. Although it's not my favourite style, this is a wine I'd happily recommend to people who are new to wine because the sweetness of fruit makes it so accessible, and it offers great value for money. 90/100
A collaborative project by seven producers under the banner of Michel Rolland, this is a blend of Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Very dark in the glass, this is not a shy wine: it's 15% alcohol, and the grapes are picked quite late, by hand, before undergoing a cold pre-ferment maceration. The dominant feature here is sweet, lush, dark fruits. The oak, which gives a spicy sheen, is very much in the background. There's some structure here, with grippy tannins hiding under the sweet fruit, and overall the wine is savoury in character. My verdict? While this is clearly a modern, new world-style red, with its tannic structure it retains balance, and if you can get over the alcoholic heat, then this is a great companion to the usual Argentinean fare of large quantities of steak. Although it's not my favourite style, this is a wine I'd happily recommend to people who are new to wine because the sweetness of fruit makes it so accessible, and it offers great value for money. 90/100
posted by Jamie @ 9:21 PM
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10 Comments:
I enjoy quite a lot of South American wines, though I'm not sure if this for sentimental reasons that aren't worth going into. What always puts me off Clos de los Siete is the fact that it seems to be so young- how do you think this will age?
I was about to ask the same thing as Tom above! The '05 Clos de los Siete seemed like it needed another 5 years or so to show properly.
On the bottle it says something like: "A combination of classic Bordeaux varieties Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as 20% Syrah ..."
Malbec? Since when has that been a classic Bordeaux variety?
Maybe in the eighteenth century, when they were adding a bit of rough old Cahors wine for added body ...
What are they on about?
I think it has the potential to age. This is suggested by the dense tannic structure that hides underneath the fruit.
But the fact that the fruit is so ripe in flavour profile makes me a little cautious. If I were ageing this, I'd want to be tasting at regular intervals to check progress.
Hi Jamie. I am with you on this one - I had the '04 and really liked it. Style and quality should be separated, in my mind, and I congratulate you on praising this wine "in its style" - let the reader decide what style they are seeking (I generally prefer the old world style). FYI - I just started reading your book on the Science of Wine, excellent reading. As a science guy I really appreciate this "rational" look at wine. Cheers!
I hate to tell you, anonymous, but Malbec has always been one of the Bordeaux varieties.
Malbec is not a typical Bordeaux variety, I am afraid (might be used occasionally) - Syrah is more typical of the Languedoc region (east bordeaux). Mixing these 4 varieties together seems to be quite a challenge. I am anxious to test this wine in a couple of years ... just bought some 2006 bottles
For a wine of this character at $18(USD) this is still a bargin (a much better bargin before the US Economy went into the "dumper.")
A great Malbec can stand on it's own but a fine blend like this is sublime!
I also wonder about age - it's very forward with the fruit but with a firm back balance in the classic style - I'll lay a few back thru 2012 - if the wine or I last that long :)
The classic Bordeaux blend is made with these 5 varietals. Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc, MALBEC and Petit Verdot. It is true that Malbec is slowly disappearing from Bordeaux blends but it is still one of the 5 classics.
All, I had this wine in Shanghai today and found it to leave a bitter after taste in my mouth. We thought perhaps the wine may have been stored improperly, but the bar manager insisted otherwise. Just wondering if you share the same experience of a bitter after taste?
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