PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Luca is the label of Laura Catena, a fourth-generation Argentine winemaker, built on her vision of “a new breed of Argentine wines: small quantities, artisan quality, and true to their individual terroirs.” With Luca, Laura pioneered grower relations in Mendoza and discovered many small old-vine Malbec vineyards that had been going into bulk wine. The Old Vine Malbec is the label’s flagship, and the 2019 is its most decorated vintage: James Suckling gave it 95, Wine Spectator 93 (and ranked it #21 on its Top 100 Wines of 2021), Vinous 93, Natalie MacLean 94, and the Wine Advocate 92.
The 2019 blends fruit from La Consulta, Altamira, Pampa El Cepillo, and Gualtallary in the Uco Valley, at around 3,500 feet, from vines averaging about 50 years old. Some of the vineyards are old and ungrafted, irrigated by traditional flood irrigation, a hallmark of Mendoza’s old Malbec plantings. The wine was aged 14 months in French oak, 35% new, and bottled at about 13.6% ABV. Luca is certified sustainable, and the wine is made on a generous scale, around 7,000 cases a year, which is part of why it has become so widely available.
The winery’s notes describe “an incredible deep purple red color” with “loads of spice and black and red cherry aromas with notes of chocolate,” and a palate where “the berry flavors really pop,” with “both a full mid palate and lively acidity that leads to an incredibly long finish,” and “a bottom note of freshly brewed espresso.” James Suckling wrote: “Amazing depth and intensity to this old-vine malbec with blackberry and black-licorice character to the wine. Violets, too. It’s full and dense, yet remains energetic and long. Polished, refined tannins. A gorgeous, plush red.” Wine Spectator described “unctuous and fine-grained flavors of dark currant and ripe cherry,” “creamy midpalate,” and “concentrated chocolate mousse notes on the finish.” Vinous called it “an elegant, voluminous wine.” The Wine Advocate found “a floral, juicy and varietal Malbec with nicely integrated oak.”
In the 1.5L magnum, you get two bottles’ worth in one striking format, an easy choice for a steak dinner, barbecue, or holiday table, and larger formats are widely believed to age more gracefully. The critic scores above are for the 2019 vintage in standard bottles.
Luca 2019 Old Vine Malbec is produced by Luca, the label of Laura Catena, in the Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina. It is 100% Malbec from old vines, including old ungrafted vineyards, in La Consulta, Altamira, Pampa El Cepillo, and Gualtallary, at about 3,500 feet. It is aged 14 months in French oak, 35% new. Certified sustainable. Bottled at about 13.6% ABV, presented here in a 1500ml magnum.
Scores are for the 2019 vintage in standard bottles; the magnum contains the same wine.
James Suckling — 95 Points:
“Amazing depth and intensity to this old-vine malbec with blackberry and black-licorice character to the wine. Violets, too. It’s full and dense, yet remains energetic and long. Polished, refined tannins. A gorgeous, plush red. Drinkable now for its generosity, but let it mellow with a few years of bottle age. Better after 2024.”
Natalie MacLean — 94 Points:
“Dry, medium-plus-bodied and vibrant with blackberry, earthy florals, anise and dark chocolate flavours generous on the palate. Tannins are firm. Good now, better in 2024 after a little taming of the tannins.”
Wine Spectator — 93 Points; #21 on the Top 100 of 2021:
“Unctuous and fine-grained flavors of dark currant and ripe cherry are supported by medium-grained tannins in this red, which is creamy midpalate, with concentrated chocolate mousse notes on the finish.”
Vinous — 93 Points:
“Vivid purple in the glass. This is an elegant, voluminous wine; the 2019 is an accomplished approach to the variety. An upgrade for lovers of the Mendoza Malbec.”
Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate — 92 Points:
“The 2019 Old Vine Malbec comes from old ungrafted vineyards irrigated by traditional flood irrigation in the Uco Valley in Mendoza. It’s a floral, juicy and varietal Malbec with nicely integrated oak and a lively palate with pungent flavors, vibrant acidity and fine and round tannins.”
Luca (official winemaker’s notes):
“This is a great example of Mendoza Malbec. Incredible deep purple red color. Loads of spice and black and red cherry aromas with notes of chocolate. The berry flavors really pop on the palate as the wine has both a full mid palate and lively acidity that leads to an incredibly long finish. A bottom note of freshly brewed espresso keeps the mouth watering too.”
Nose
Deep purple. Spice, black and red cherry, and chocolate, with violets and blackberry.
Palate
Full and dense, with blackberry, black licorice, dark currant, and ripe cherry, with a full mid-palate, lively acidity, and polished tannin.
Finish
Incredibly long, with chocolate mousse and a note of fresh espresso.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Appellation | Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina |
| Variety | 100% Malbec |
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Producer | Luca — Laura Catena |
| Vineyards | La Consulta, Altamira, Pampa El Cepillo, Gualtallary; ~3,500 ft; old vines, some ungrafted |
| Aging | 14 months, French oak, 35% new |
| ABV | ~13.6% |
| Critics | James Suckling 95 · Natalie MacLean 94 · Wine Spectator 93 (#21 Top 100 of 2021) · Vinous 93 · Wine Advocate 92 |
| Style / Identity | A dense, polished, chocolate-and-spice old-vine Mendoza Malbec |
| Aromas & Flavors | Black cherry, blackberry, black licorice, violets, chocolate, espresso |
| Bottle Size | 1500ml (Magnum) |
Decant for 30 minutes or more; serve at about 62-65°F.
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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