Viña Alicia Lujan de Cuyo Morena 2018

The 2018 Viña Alicia Lujan de Cuyo Morena (94 Points – Descorchados) is a suave, sophisticated Bordeaux blend that combines Old World charm with New World flavors and structure. Savory scents of baking spices, blueberry, and cassis quickly greet the nose, while the wine’s layered berry flavors infused with crushed violets, cedar, and vanilla tantalize the palate. Soft tannins and spritely acidity carry Morena’s beautiful fruit and woodland flavors through to a long, lingering, and satisfying finish. For optimum enjoyment, we suggest affording the lovely 2018 Viña Alicia Morena 15-20 minutes of aeration before serving at cool room temperature (58°-62° F). Anticipated maturity: 2023-2027. Enjoy!

Leaning as much on Old World sensibilities as New World flavors, the 2018 Viña Alicia Lujan de Cuyo Morena makes an ideal dinner party companion, as it easily plays host to a variety of foods and recipes from around the world. It requires nothing more than a fine clean glass and a simple, but well-prepared dish to shine. No need for heavy, spicy sauces to obscure the layered, complex flavors of the 2018 Viña Alicia Morena. Consequently, consider serving veal cutlets or tender veal chops, grilled slowly to perfection and topped with mushrooms and a blackberry reduction, with this wine. A superbly dressed roasted chicken, duck breast, or pheasant makes an equally splendid accompaniment. Braised rabbit provides another traditional Old World companion. For the more adventuresome, why not try complementing this sophisticated red wine with a French classic – Chicken Barigoule – a rotisserie fried chicken breast with braised artichokes, garlic, pearl onions, carrots, asparagus, and tomatoes. A perfectly grilled filet mignon earns high marks, too. Finishing the meal with a glass of the 2018 Morena and a selection of Edam, Port Salut, or similar styled soft cheese provides another superb way to enjoy the engaging 2018 Viña Alicia Morena wine at its peak.

Begun in 1998, Viña Alicia is located in Mendoza, Argentina’s fabled Lujan de Cuyo, where it fashions an array of South America’s most compelling Bordeaux blends and Cabernets. Named for Alicia Mateu Arizu, wife of celebrated winemaker Alberto Arizu, Viña Alicia is surrounded by a 25-acre vineyard of multiple clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot as well as a dizzying array of rare vines from around the world.

Known as a consummate innovator and pioneer, Alberto Arizu has been dubbed the “Mondavi of Mendoza” for his tireless research and experimentation to obtain excellent wines. Alberto begun his illustrious career at Luigi Bosca, one of Argentina’s more renowned wine estates, before embarking on creating his own family legacy. A viticulturist, enologist, winemaker, botanist, and general agricultural pioneer septuagenarian, Alberto Arizu has become a trusted ambassador for Argentinean wines and a true doyen of Argentina’s wine industry.

Unquestionably, quality reigns paramount at Viña Alicia. Although Viña Alicia’s winery possesses a large production capacity, it commercializes only a little more than 2,000 cases of wine under its own name; the rest is sold under another label. Only the winery’s finest wines are entitled to bear the name Viña Alicia. The winery’s outstanding, highly rated Bordeaux blend and this month’s feature, Morena, emanates from 5 Cabernet Sauvignon clones and 2 Cabernet Franc clones from a high altitude vineyard. It is grown sustainably without fertilizers, herbicides or insecticides – only natural products are used, together with biological pest control and controlled surface irrigation from mountain water rich in minerals and sediments.