Bodega Colomé El Arenal Malbec 2022
Flavours of red fruit, delicately laced with floral and mineral notes. A fresh and elegant mouthfeel, with a full body and round tannins.
The `El Arenal` vineyard consists of 45 hectares, located in Payogasta, in the north of Calchaquí valley. Situated at 2,600 metres above sea level, the extreme elevation results in grapes being exposed to intense ultraviolet rays. As a result, the skins of the grapes have adapted to become thicker and darker, protecting themselves from sunburn, lending colour and depth to the wine. The deep, sandy soils don't retain water well, putting the vines under strain and resulting in small, concentrated berries. There is also a huge variation between the day and night temperature (up to 23ºC), with the cooler overnight temperatures producing fresh wines with good acidity.
The grapes were sorted using an optical sorting table, followed by four days of cold maceration. Fermentation with indigenous yeast was carried out, with very gentle extraction and one pumping-over every two days. After 25 days of maceration the wine was aged for 12 months in 225 and 500 litre French oak barrels, 60% of which were new, 40% of which were thirds- fourth use.
| RRP | £45.99 |
| Bottle size | 75cl |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Alcoholic strength | 14.5% |
| Country | Argentina |
| Region | Salta |
| Grapes | Malbec 100% |
| Residual sugar (g/l) | 2 |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Organic | No |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Diam |
Established in 1831, Bodega Colomé is the oldest working winery in Argentina and home to one of the world's highest commercial vineyards, ‘Altura Máxima’, planted at a staggering 3,111 metres above sea level. The combination of Bodega Colomé’s history, vineyard sites and winemaking talent means they have been consistently classified as a 'First Growth' winery by Tim Atkin MW, in his Annual Argentina Report, since 2020.
Bodega Colomé is based in the northern Argentinian wine region of Upper Calchaquí Valley. The estate is thought to have been founded by the Spanish Governor of Salta, Nicolás Severo de Isasmendi y Echalar, whose daughter brought the first pre-phylloxera Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon vines to Bodega Colomé in 1854. These vineyards are still farmed by the Bodega today, which has since grown to become one of Argentina’s most respected wineries.
Bodega Colomé’s modern reputation began to take shape in 2001 when they were purchased by Swiss entrepreneur Donald Hess (of Hess Collection, Napa Valley fame). Hess not only invested in the vineyards and winery but also into the Colomé village, converting it from a forgotten backwater into a thriving community with multiple schools, a community centre and even an art museum. Many of the now 400-strong villagers are also employed at Bodega Colomé, evidencing the winery's commitment to social sustainability and maintaining the local economy they helped build.
This approach to sustainability also translates to the environment, with Bodega Colomé having 140 hectares of vineyards planted at elevations between 1,700 and 3,111 metres above sea level. These include the three key estate vineyards: ‘La Brava’ (1,750 metres) in Cafayate, ‘Finca Colomé’ (2,300 metres) which surrounds the winery in Molinos and ‘Altura Máxima’ (3,111 metres), in the Payogasta area. Grapes grown at such high elevations, with minimal crop coverage, develop naturally thick skins as protection from the sun’s intense ultraviolet rays. These significant elevations also create a diurnal range of more than 20°C between day and night. This is crucial for achieving quality and balance, with the warmer daylight hours ensuring successful ripening and the dramatically cooler nights preserving acidity and fragrance.
Combining these factors further contributes to lengthening the growing season, resulting in wines with supple, complex tannins, rich colour and a deep, nuanced flavour profile. French winemaker Thibaut Delmotte has been the custodian of Bodega Colomé since 2005, taking the Bodega from being a very good producer to the outstanding Argentinian ‘First Growth’ we know today, through his meticulous, low-intervention philosophy.
30 other products in the same category:
