Luca Old Vine Uco Valley Mendoza Malbec 2019

The 2019 Luca Old Vines Malbec has been called “a quintessentially expressive Mendoza Malbec” and “elegant and timeless” by Wine Spectator, who awarded it spot #21 in their Top 100 wines of 2021. We call it romantic, perfectly delicious, and downright seductive. Beguiling aromas of blackberry, Luxardo cherry, and plum, interlaced with sensuous spice tones and a hint of espresso, captivate the nose from the first sniff. In the mouth, layers of savory blackberry, blueberry, violet, and unsmoked tobacco flavors grace the palate. Savory, complex, and long in the finish with a hauntingly beautiful patina of vanilla oak, the 2019 Luca Old Vines Malbec is both polished and perfectly proportioned. A clear standout, this old vine Malbec may very well deserve the moniker “Malbec of the Year.” Bold in flavor but not overtly tannic, the 2019 Luca Old Vines Malbec is in a class by itself, earning huge praise from our tasting panel and critics alike (95 Points – James Suckling; 93 Points – Vinous; 93 Points – Wine Spectator). For optimal drinking pleasure we suggest serving Luca’s splendid 2019 Old Vine Malbec at cool room temperature (58°-62° F) after twenty minutes or more of aeration. This, of course, presupposes one can wait that long. Anticipated maturity: 2022-2032. Enjoy!

In Argentina, meat, not surprisingly, is nearly always the recommended accompaniment to Malbec, Argentina’s signature varietal. Consequently, beef, beef, and more beef would likely be the resounding response to any question regarding what food to serve with the 2019 Luca Old Vine Malbec, and that would be a fine choice but not our only choice. Luca’s complex, hedonistic style of Malbec pairs equally well with poultry and game birds. Seared Duck Breast with Cherries in a Port wine sauce provides ample testament to this wine’s versatility. However, if beef remains a go-to accompaniment, our preferences lean to the finest Prime Rib au jus served with a potato soufflé, or Grilled Filet Mignon with a Portabella Mushroom risotto. Grilled Stuffed Veal Chops served with roasted Red Bliss potatoes and caramelized Brussels sprouts with pancetta also make tantalizing companions to Luca’s sophisticated 2019 Old Vine Malbec. For those who eschew meat, there is Eggplant and Zucchini Parmigiana, lentil soup with carrots and root vegetables, or a heart-healthy white bean chili served with ripe avocado, crusty French bread, and hard Pecorino cheese. Additionally, a clean empty glass will suffice as the sole companion to Luca’s delicious 2019 Old Vine Malbec as it is ready to please, and there’s definitely no shame in that. Buen Provecho!

Luca wines, the brainchild of vintner, physician, and author Laura Catena, rank among the greatest wines of Argentina. Laura grew up in the most renowned wine-making family of Mendoza, Argentina. Laura’s father Dr. Nicolás Catena was one of the first winery owners in Mendoza to realize Argentina’s enormous viticultural potential and to concentrate on producing quality rather than quantity in the vineyard and wine cellar. Many called him “loco,” yet four decades later the wine drinking world reveres Dr. Catena and applauds his enormous research and painstaking efforts to bring quality Argentine wines to the world market. There would be little clamor today for fine Malbec without Dr. Catena’s work. Fortunately, the apple does not fall far from the tree. Laura Catena began her own wine venture, Luca, in 1999 with the mission to take Argentine wine to an even higher level on the world stage.

Although Laura now splits her time between Mendoza and San Francisco (where she practices medicine, serves as a university professor, and raises three children) her heart still rests in Argentina and winemaking of the highest quality. In Luca, named for Laura’s first-born son, Laura has realized her dream of creating small quantities of impeccably made Argentine wines from individual vineyards and terroirs. Made in true artisan fashion, each limited production of Luca wine hails from extraordinary fruit from very low-yield, high elevation, family-owned vineyards. Together with Luca’s celebrated winemaker, Estela Perinetti, Laura creates a knockout Old Vine Malbec (this month’s feature) from a very old high-altitude vineyard; Beso de Dante, an exquisite blend of Malbec and Cabernet that rivals the best that Bordeaux has to offer; G Lot, a world-class Chardonnay that rivals the finest Meursault from Burgundy; as well as exceptional individual varietal offerings of Pinot Noir, Malbec, and Syrah.