Beso de Dante 2019

LUCA

Beso de Dante
2019

  • Sustainable
Product code
712662
Format
6 x 750ml
Listing type
Open
Status
Unavailable
Type of product
Still wine
Country
Argentina
Regulated designation
Geographical Indication (GI)
Region
Mendoza
Varietal(s)
Malbec 55 %
Petit Verdot 25 %
Cabernet Sauvignon 20 %
Colour
Red
Sugar
Dry
Closure type
Cork
Producer's website

About this winery

Laura Catena, daughter of famous Argentine wine pioneer, Nicolas Catena, was born in Buenos Aires. At the age of 14, her family moved to Berkeley, California where her father had taken a teaching position in the Economics Department. Laura went on to attend Harvard University, where she graduated magna cum laude in biology, and then she returned to the west coast, to Stanford University, to pursue a medical degree graduating in 1992. Today, Laura Catena is a practicing emergency-room physician....

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Tasting notes

Aromas of cassis, with mint notes and smoke. Cascades of red and blackcurrant fruit on the palate. Medium-bodied and classically structured with good density. The Cabernet fruit melds seamlessly with the Malbec, creating a well-structured and balanced blend with moderate tannins and a lengthy finish. This blend will pair well with any Cab-friendly dishes such as steak, pork, lamb, and strong cheeses. Can handle any dish cream or butter sauces.

Press reviews

Descorchados

- 96 points -

2024 (Vintage 2021)

The base of this Beso de Dante is cabernet sauvignon from El Cepillo, in the cold southern part of the Uco Valley, while the 30% malbec is from La Consulta, and the rest is cabernet franc from the Gualtallary highlands, above an altitude of 1,500 meters. The nose is dominated by the cabernet sauvignon’s herbal and minty notes along with the classic black fruit of the variety, especially when grown in the foot of the mountains in South America. On the palate, the fierce, taut, juicy tannins are in command, and the acidity is nervy in a vibrant wine that’s brimming with flavors of fruit, herbs, and spices. For the cellar, or drink it now with lamb curry.

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 Wine Enthusiast

- 94 points -

September 2022 (Vintage 2019)

This elegant blend offers green bell pepper and cherry with a touch of nutmeg and vanilla on the nose. It's full-bodied with firm tannins and vibrant acidity providing a good structure. Fresh red fruit and herbs are nicely blended with baking spices on the silky palate. It has a lingering finish with fruit flavors in the aftertaste

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James Suckling

- 93 points -

James Suckling, May 2016 (Vintage 2013)

A wine with a lovely complexity and richness. Layered and savory. Full body, velvety tannins and a long finish. Lots of walnut and spice character. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and malbec from Altamira and La Consulta.

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Vinous

- 93 points -

November 2021 (Vintage 2019)

The 2019 Beso De Dante is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Franc from Paraje Altamira, La Consulta, Pampa El Cepillo and Gualtallary. The 2019 spent 18 months aging in half new French oak. The ripe nose features plum jam, Maraschino cherry and hints of violet, cedar and vanilla. Juicy with a terse, voluminous texture, the aging process comes to the fore in the mouth alongside expansive, packaged freshness. The finish lingers at length.

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Tim Atkin MW

- 92 points -

May 2017

Named after one of owner Laura Catena’s children rather than the author of the Divine
Comedy, this is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon with 40% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Franc. It’s a concentrated, age worthy red with layered tannins, prominent oak and complex, leafy, herbal flavours.

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Vinous

- 92 points -

July 2018 (Vintage 2016)

(14% alcohol; aged for 16 months in French oak, 40% new): Bright medium ruby. Pure, vibrant aromas of blueberry, blackberry, graphite and licorice, lifted by a violet topnote. Densely packed and sweet but a step up in energy and definition from the Old Vine Malbec owing to its floral lift and saline minerality. This pristine, lively wine conveys an almost Pinot-like sappiness and a low-yield mouthfeel. It should expand with another year or two of cellaring and evolve slowly and gracefully. A superb example of its vintage.

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James Suckling

- 92 points -

April 2021 (Vintage 2019)

Aromas of blackberry, plum, tar, licorice, sandalwood and hot stone. It’s full-bodied with firm, ripe tannins. Rich and dense with a smooth, warm finish.

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James Suckling

- 92 points -

February 2022 (Vintage 2020)

Cassis, cooked cherries, blackberry jam, dried herbs, gravy and mushrooms on the nose. It’s full-bodied with firm, ripe tannins. Rich, fleshy and flavorful. Espresso notes on the finish. 50% cabernet sauvignon, 40% malbec and 10% cabernet franc. Drink from 2023.

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Vinous

- 92 points -

Joaquín Hidalgo, September 2022 (Vintage 2020)

The 2020 Beso de Dante is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Franc (from Paraje Altamira, La Consulta and Pampa El Cepillo, Uco Valley) all the grapes coming from old vines. The multifaceted nose offers notes of blackcurrant, herbs, hints of mint and traces of roasted red pepper and ash. It’s creamy and unctuous in feel before the tannins from the different varieties tighten things up with sharp acidity that will mellow in time. Ends with a bold finish.

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Wine Advocate

- 92 points -

Luis Gutierrez, November 2022 (Vintage 2020)

They describe the 2020 Beso de Dante as a Malbec with a kiss of Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a powerful and ripe red blend, floral and herbal, and it feels very integrated and with freshness and balance, which is remarkable for the warm and dry year.

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James Suckling

- 91 points -

June 2017

A big and rich red with lots of fruit and tannins. Full body, flavorful and dense. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, malbec and cabernet franc. Needs time to soften and come together.

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Wine Spectator

- 91 points -

March 2018

Powerful and well-structured, with good cut to the dark currant, dark cherry and black olive flavors, backed by firm acidity and tannins. Shows notes of underbrush that are on the savory finish, with cocoa powder accents. Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. 

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Vinous

- 91 points -

July 2017

Bright ruby-red. Very pure aromas of blackberry, licorice, violet and menthol. Juicy, spicy and firmly built, offering lovely intensity to its black fruit and spice flavors. Hints of dried tobacco and cedar add interest, but there's nothing green about this wine. The Cabernet component comes through in the wine's solid structure. Finishes with a smooth dusting of tannins and lingering notes of dried fruits and flowers.

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Vinous

(91+ POINTS)

September 2019

Bright, dark ruby-red; not quite as dark as the Old Vine Malbec. More complex but reticent on the nose, offering aromas of blackberry, cassis, violet, dark chocolate and herbs. Plush, fine-grained and surprisingly dry and classic; juicier and less thick and sweet than the Old Vine Malbec. This broad, laid-back blend displays an obvious Cabernet Sauvignon herbacity that gives it another dimension. Finishes with firm tannins and sneaky persistence. This rather clenched wine finishes a bit youthfully tough and will require at least a couple more years of cellaring, at which point it may well merit an even higher rating.

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