2019 PerSe Iubileus Malbec Gualtallary Mendoza

The 2019 Iubileus comes from Malbec from a plot planted in 2013 on limestone-rich soils with some 40 centimeters of soil, worked organically since it was planted but not certified. It fermented in used rolling barrels with indigenous yeasts, with a maceration of 30 days and matured in used barriques for 16 months. It has moderate ripeness, 14% alcohol and good freshness and acidity, coming through as balanced, harmonious and juicy, with some earthiness, fine, chalky tannins and a long, persistent finish.

The 2019 Malbec Per Se Lubileus hails from the calcareous soils of a north-facing (the sunnier side in the southern hemisphere) mountain slope in Gualtallary, Uco Valley and was aged in neutral barrels. Purple in the glass. The nose offers hints of ripe plum and herbs with a whiff of lavender, but it’s the cardamom and pennyroyal notes that stand out. Compact in the mouth with good tension and a vibrant, chalky feel, the palate is unforthcoming initially before opening out to deliver plenty of nuanced flavor. The joy of this wine is the play between the layers of tension and the compact, nimble flow while the chalk continues right through to the finish. The 2019 is an energetic red.

Iubileus comes from a 0.8-hectare parcel of just 418 vines, so there’s not a lot to go round at just 1,509 bottles in 2019. Bottled unfiltered, it’s a very lightly wooded Malbec with chalky intensity and finesse, subtle thyme and lavender aromas, fine-grained, filigree tannins and a long, tapering, refreshing finish. 2023-31