2018 Alberti 154 Bodega Calle Malbec, DOC Luján de Cuyo
91 Points James Suckling
Tasting Notes
Garnet black color. Bright, attractive, creamy aromas of berry buttercream, roasted nuts, and caramelized smoked bacon with a satiny, bright, dry-yet-fruity medium body and a smooth, amusing, medium-length caramel apple, delicate spice, toffee, and cedar finish with fine, silky tannins and light oak. An attractively juicy and easy drinking Malbec that is sure to please. – BTI Beverage Testing Institute
DOC Luján de Cuyo is one of only two certified viticultural areas in Argentina. It was originally certified in 1989 and is limited to 144 square miles. The vineyards must be of traditional old-vine vertical trellis, originally planted in the area. Vineyard plant density must be between 1822 to 2227 plants per acre. The vines must be pruned in the Guyot system and irrigated via snow melt run-off. Maximum grape yields must be at or below 2.5 tons an acre. The blend must be at least 85% Malbec. The wine must age 12 months in barrels and at least 12 months in bottle. It must be estate bottled.
Specs
Vintage: 2018
Varietal: Malbec
Origin: Argentina
Appellation: Lujan de Cuyo DOC
Elaboration: Hand-harvested grapes. Made with gravity flow in the winery. Unfined and unfiltered.
Conservation: Aged 12 months in used French and American oak.
We have been importing fine wines from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Baja California, Mexico, as Southern Wine Group for nearly two decades. Recently, we have been extending this reputation by building a select portfolio from the United States, Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy. The newly combined Elixir Wine Group is proud to represent wines from some of the finest family-owned producers in the world.
Our dedication to wines from these regions extends beyond representing artisan producers nationally in the United States. We also own and operate Bodega Calle winery in Luján de Cuyo, Argentina; a historic estate established in 1925 that Kirk Ermisch, his Argentine partner, and Ms. Elvira Calle, a prominent Argentine business woman, restored to its full glory in 2001 as an award-winning producer of varietal wines and proprietary red blends.
Named Alberti 154 as it is the address of the winery in the district of Lújan de Cuyo. Dating to 1925, it resides on what’s now a residential street on the corner of 3 other founding wineries of this classic zone known as Drummond. A small-lot, gravity-flow, red wine production studio, Bodega Calle places great emphasis on gently crafting wines with regional distinction and grand personality.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2018 Alberti 154 Argentinian Malbec - $30 = 21.42%
Just a heads up. Received a notice from Alice yesterday letting me know a bottle of this wine was being rush shipped to me for labrat duty. Supposed to arrive today so the plan is to open it up, get an initial tasting impression posted here and save at least half the bottle for tomorrow. Given my experience with this site I highly doubt the wine will sell out today so I feel comfortable handling it this way. Will report back later today.
@birdbrains
Bottle arrived around 3 this afternoon. Opened immediately and let sit on the counter for a couple of hours. Initial impressions on the nose of smokiness and spicy earth. Same when tasting. Not a whole lot of fruit but definitely medium bodied with balanced tannins and a decent finish to it. Unfortunately dinner tonight was cod cakes so we didn’t even try pairing the two. Tomorrow involves some red meat so will follow up then.
@birdbrains
Just checking back after tonight’s dinner of Mongolian beef. Medium spice to the meal. Did have a glad before dinner. Well balanced, drinkable now. Still don’t get a lot of fruit with a spicier profile and still has a smokiness to it in a positive way. With dinner a neutral pairing at best. Thinking grilled meat is the wheelhouse here. Sorry for the late review.
The 2018 Alberti Malbec Reserve really deserves a shout-out. It’s a deep garnet red in the glass, and right after opening, there’s a strong whiff of alcohol—but don’t let that throw you. Give it a few minutes to breathe, and it mellows out quickly into something much more enjoyable.
The first sip is rich and jammy, with dark fruit flavors front and center—think blackberry and plum with a hint of smoke—just enough dryness on the finish to give it some structure without being harsh. It’s bold without being overpowering, and very smooth overall.
One thing worth noting: my husband doesn’t usually like Malbecs because they tend to be too dry for his taste, but even he was impressed by this one. It struck a really nice balance between fruity and dry, and we both kept going back for more.
We ended up having it with dinner and dessert. Dinner was some spicy madras lentils, rice and kale. It stood up to the spice really well and the slightly dry finish was perfect. Think this would go well with a rich cheese or steak. It equally worked with our dessert—some dark chocolate—it paired beautifully. The wine brought out the richness of the chocolate, and the chocolate, in turn, highlighted some of the wine’s more subtle notes. Honestly, it was a great combo.
I thought we’d skip this offer until we got a chance a to taste…but now we’re in. Maybe not an everyday drinker but it definitely holds a place. At this price point, it’s a great value. If you’re into a bold Malbec that’s not too dry, this is worth checking out.
Thanks Alice and casemates for the chance to try!
2018 Alberti 154 Bodega Calle Malbec, DOC Luján de Cuyo
91 Points James Suckling
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$227.88/Case for 12x 2018 Alberti 154 Malbec Reserva, Bodega Calle, DOC Luján de Cuyo at Elixer Wine Group
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, May 5 - Tuesday, May 6
2018 Alberti 154 Argentinian Malbec
6 bottles for $69.99 $11.67/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $109.99 $9.17/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
2018 Alberti 154 Argentinian Malbec - $30 = 21.42%
Just a heads up. Received a notice from Alice yesterday letting me know a bottle of this wine was being rush shipped to me for labrat duty. Supposed to arrive today so the plan is to open it up, get an initial tasting impression posted here and save at least half the bottle for tomorrow. Given my experience with this site I highly doubt the wine will sell out today so I feel comfortable handling it this way. Will report back later today.
same here
@birdbrains
Bottle arrived around 3 this afternoon. Opened immediately and let sit on the counter for a couple of hours. Initial impressions on the nose of smokiness and spicy earth. Same when tasting. Not a whole lot of fruit but definitely medium bodied with balanced tannins and a decent finish to it. Unfortunately dinner tonight was cod cakes so we didn’t even try pairing the two. Tomorrow involves some red meat so will follow up then.
@birdbrains
Just checking back after tonight’s dinner of Mongolian beef. Medium spice to the meal. Did have a glad before dinner. Well balanced, drinkable now. Still don’t get a lot of fruit with a spicier profile and still has a smokiness to it in a positive way. With dinner a neutral pairing at best. Thinking grilled meat is the wheelhouse here. Sorry for the late review.
The 2018 Alberti Malbec Reserve really deserves a shout-out. It’s a deep garnet red in the glass, and right after opening, there’s a strong whiff of alcohol—but don’t let that throw you. Give it a few minutes to breathe, and it mellows out quickly into something much more enjoyable.
The first sip is rich and jammy, with dark fruit flavors front and center—think blackberry and plum with a hint of smoke—just enough dryness on the finish to give it some structure without being harsh. It’s bold without being overpowering, and very smooth overall.
One thing worth noting: my husband doesn’t usually like Malbecs because they tend to be too dry for his taste, but even he was impressed by this one. It struck a really nice balance between fruity and dry, and we both kept going back for more.
We ended up having it with dinner and dessert. Dinner was some spicy madras lentils, rice and kale. It stood up to the spice really well and the slightly dry finish was perfect. Think this would go well with a rich cheese or steak. It equally worked with our dessert—some dark chocolate—it paired beautifully. The wine brought out the richness of the chocolate, and the chocolate, in turn, highlighted some of the wine’s more subtle notes. Honestly, it was a great combo.
I thought we’d skip this offer until we got a chance a to taste…but now we’re in. Maybe not an everyday drinker but it definitely holds a place. At this price point, it’s a great value. If you’re into a bold Malbec that’s not too dry, this is worth checking out.
Thanks Alice and casemates for the chance to try!