- 96 points -

- 96 points -

This Nico by Luca Rosas Vineyard is a massal selection from century-old vines in La Consulta that winemaker Luis Reginato planted in the Gualtallary highlands, at an altitude of about 1,550 meters. The vines cover just 1.5 hectares and are now 15 years old. The 2020 season was warm throughout Mendoza and some of that heat is evident here, yet it also seems to be moderated by the altitude of the vineyard and the influence of the Andes. It’s a wine with firm acidity, succulent flavors, and sharp tannins. And it’s definitely one for the cellar.

- 95 points -

Laura Catena buys these grapes from the Rosas family, whose La Consulta vineyard was
planted in 1939. Aged in 500-litre wood, it’s a dense, compact, yet beautifully proportioned with damson, black cherry and liquorice flavours, fine tannins and a chalky, tapering finish.

- 95 points -

A dense and layered red with blackberry, plum and hints of cappuccino character. Round and caressing texture. Flavorful finish. Old vine character with a new winemaking style for the winery. 

- 94 points -

Editor's Choice

A dark, smoky nose contains an elegant note of sandalwood that graces core blackberry aromas. This is an extracted but controlled Malbec, with weight as well as balance. Toasty, oaky blackberry flavors are chocolaty, while a powerful finish with unlimited length is well balanced. 

- 94 points -

Saturated ruby. Very dark, brooding scents of crushed black fruits, licorice pastille, violet and shoe polish, plus a hint of herbs. Then rich, deep and chocolatey on the palate, with its intense black fruit flavors benefitting from the inner-mouth floral lift of this vintage in Uco Valley. The wine's subtle sweetness is perfectly balanced by harmonious acidity. Finishes with a fine dusting of tannins and palate-staining persistence. Even today, there's nothing austere about this stunning wine, which should gain in interest for the next decade. (made from a single block of 60-year-old vines that are reportedly among the oldest in La Consulta; aged for 20 months in 500-liter barrels, half new and half second-use).

- 93 points -

The excellent 2019 Nico By Luca Malbec comes from the Rosas Vineyard, which was planted in La Consulta in 1939. It fermented in 500-liter oak barrels, where the wine matured. It's floral, has contained ripeness, good freshness and some spicy and smoky undertones. The palate is medium-bodied and has fine tannins, good freshness and balance.

- 92 points -

The 2020 Nico By Luca Malbec shows restraint, contained ripeness for a warm year and sweet Malbec fruit with some spicy and smoky undertones and a mixture of flowers, berries and herbs. The palate is medium to full-bodied with abundant and fine tannins.

92+ POINTS

(14% alcohol; aged for 20 months in 75% new French oak): Bright ruby. Slightly higher-toned on the nose and palate than the Beso de Dante, offering aromas of blackberry, blueberry, licorice, mint and minerals. Boasts terrific inner-mouth lift and clarity without any hard edges. Fine-grained and light on its feet, with firm acidity and clear minerality giving the wine an extremely youthful character without any austerity. Finishes with broad but suave tannins and terrific persistence. This makes the Beso de Dante seem almost dry by comparison, and it's not.