Staphyle Dragon del Vino Malbec 2021
Mountain Malbec from an unlikely vineyard in Potrerillos, in the Andean foothills of Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza.
Potrerillos, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza
Tim Atkin 2023 · 94 ptsDescorchados 2024 · 94 pts
Tasting notes
Deep purple-red in the glass. The nose shows wild strawberries and a clear mineral streak. The palate is full and assertive, framed by its time in new oak, with a long finish.
Pairs with
- Grilled Patagonian beef steak (ribeye, skirt)
- Grilled lamb chops
- Venison with rosemary
- Roast mushrooms with polenta
- Aged hard cheeses
Where it comes from
Potrerillos sits in the pre-Andean ranges above Mendoza. The road from Cacheuta winds along a reservoir, passes through a tunnel and then, unexpectedly, reaches a vineyard – the mountain-ringed landscape that inspired the Dragón de Vino line. The area belongs to Luján de Cuyo, the historic heartland of Argentine Malbec: the grape came from south-west France and found in Mendoza's dry, sunny climate the conditions that made it the country's signature variety. The Gran Hotel Potrerillos vineyard covers 4.5 ha at 1,350 m above sea level, on soils of stones, limestone and mixed minerals, trained on vertical shoot position and drip-irrigated. At this altitude at the foot of the Andes, bright days and cool nights help the grapes keep freshness and aroma. When described, the vines were only five years old.
Hand-picked in the third week of March, fermented for 20 days in stainless steel with traditional maceration, then aged 15 months in new 225-litre Boutes barrels.
Serving
Serve at 16–18 °C.
Technical sheet
| Vintage | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Grapes | Malbec |
| Region | Potrerillos, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza |
| Altitude | 1.350 m |
| Vineyard | Gran Hotel Potrerillos (4,5 ha, Malbec) |
| Oak ageing | 15 months |
| Serving temperature | 17 °C |
| Bottles produced | 3.500 |
From the winery Staphyle
A third-generation Mendoza family with old vines in Agrelo and the first vineyard in the mountains of Potrerillos.