Tikal Júbilo Mendoza 2013

The sophisticated 2013 Tikal Júbilo is an artful blend of Malbec (60%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) that integrates the best characteristics of each of the wine’s grape varieties into a delicious seamless red that puts many high-priced red Bordeaux and New World varietal bottlings of Cabernet and Malbec to shame. Once again in the 2013 vintage, Júbilo, with its combination of Cabernet and Malbec, aptly represents Argentina’s finest oenological endeavor: the successful marriage of two of the world’s most revered red grape varieties, resulting in a wine greater and more sophisticated than the sum of its parts. The 2013 Júbilo offers an enchanting bouquet redolent with the savory scents of blackberry, red currant, and plum. On the palate, layers of blackberry, currant, cherry liqueur, black tea, and woodland flavors unfold slowly, bolstered by fresh, vibrant tannins that add structure and depth. Bold, rich flavors wedded to a firm medium body insure pleasurable drinking in this Júbilo now and for years to come. For optimal enjoyment, we suggest an hour of aeration before consuming the joyful 2013 Júbilo at cool room temperature (60°-64° F).

A complex, sophisticated wine such as the 2013 Tikal Júbilo is nothing short of a crowd pleaser. Lovers of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon will delight in the 2013 Júbilo with nothing more than a large, clean glass. Nevertheless, the 2013 Júbilo makes such a splendid companion to grilled meats and vegetables, heady pastas, and spicy bean and lentil dishes that it would be a shame not to double the pleasure of this wine by leaving delectable morsels out of the equation. In Argentina, the 2013 Júbilo provides the ideal companion to “asada” (South America’s answer to barbeque), which includes the finest cuts of beef, lamb, and pork. Osso Bucco earns our endorsement, as does grilled lamb basted in garlic, olive oil, rosemary, and thyme. A thick lentil soup made with carrots and spicy ground sausage makes for another winning combination with Júbilo, but then nearly any food that one would pair with Malbec or Cabernet will shine and give cause for rejoicing in the company of the 2013 Tikal Júbilo. Buen Provecho!

Tikal is the passion of Ernesto Catena, the eldest son of Nicolás Catena of Catena Zapata. Catena reigns as Argentina’s most revered name in wine, as Nicolás, Ernesto, and Ernesto’s sister Laura fashion many of Argentina’s finest wines. Considered experts with Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Bonarda, they fashion wines of both power and finesse and leave nothing to chance.

Ernesto grew up among the vineyards of Argentina’s mighty Mendoza, traveled the world, and lived in New York, Buenos Aires, London, Milan, and elsewhere before returning to his beloved Mendoza with its majestic mountains and jubilant people. Tikal reflects Ernesto’s sensibilities and his desire for all that gives pleasure in life. As a skilled horseman, software developer, fashion designer, and book editor, he delights in offering wines that deliver the ultimate in pleasure. To say that “Tikal wines are hedonism in a glass” would not be an overstatement, as they all provide enormous pleasure and evoke a true sense of joy. With talented winemaker Luis Reginato, Tikal fashions five exceptional red wines: Natural (a biodynamic blend of Malbec and Syrah), Patriota (Patriot), Corazon (Heart), Amorio (Love), and Júbilo (Rejoice), a blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon that is named for Ernesto’s son. Tikal wines consistently receive 90+ points from the world’s most respected wine publications, with Júbilo leading the pack.

Malbec is one of the original red wine grapes of Bordeaux, France (where it is called Cot or Pressac). While Malbec plays a purely supporting role today in Bordeaux, adding color and body to the region’s Merlot and Cabernet blends, it remains one of the six legal grape varieties permitted in red Bordeaux (along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Carmenère). However, south of Bordeaux in the region of Cahors, Malbec still reigns supreme. It remains the chief grape of what historically has been called the “black wine” of Cahors.

Despite its deep French roots, Argentina has come to fore as the contemporary champion of Malbec, where the varietal reigns as the most important grape variety, both in terms of quality and quantity. The best Argentinean Malbecs and Malbec blends emanate from Mendoza province, and they offer considerable flavor and body at a relatively young age. Nevertheless, they remain age worthy wines capable of true distinction.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most widely cultivated of the world’s noble red grape varieties. For centuries it was thought to be an ancient varietal, but DNA studies conducted in the 1990s revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon is not nearly as old as was once thought. Moreover, what is even more startling is that Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the offspring of Cabernet Franc (a red variety) and Sauvignon Blanc (a white variety).

The origin of Cabernet Sauvignon has traditionally been attributed to Bordeaux, where it holds court with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and in rare instances Carmenère. Although some evidence suggests that northern Spain, just south of the Pyrenees, may also one day lay legitimate claim to being an original site of the planet’s most important red grape variety, Bordeaux rightly earned the right to be the disseminator of this noble red grape because it is from Bordeaux that Cabernet Sauvignon has traveled the world.

In Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is the heart and soul of the finest Médoc wines and a leading player in nearly all of the finest red wines of Graves (Châteaux Haut-Brion, Margaux, Latour, and Lafite). However, even in Bordeaux appellations where Cabernet is King, Cabernet Sauvignon partners with other traditional Bordeaux varietals. By nature, Cabernet Sauvignon is a thick-skinned grape that requires a longer maturation than other red grape varieties, which makes blending it a natural choice in winemaking regions such as Bordeaux where climate conditions vary. By contrast, Cabernet Sauvignon thrives on its own in the hot, semi-arid conditions that Argentina, Australia, California, and other Mediterranean climates offer.