Bodega Monteviejo Lindaflor La Violeta 2014 (750ML)

97 WI / 95 JA / 94 WA / 94 JS

The single-varietal 2014 La Violeta Malbec is made by the owner of La Violette in Pomerol. Deep garnet-purple in color, it charges out of the glass with mature notes of fruitcake, plum pudding, cigar box, and iron ore, leading to wafts of dried roses and sandalwood. The full-bodied palate is jam packed with impressive black fruit preserves and spice layers, framed by firm, velvety tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing long and opulent. Delicious right now, it should cellar a further 20 years+. This is complex, tertiary, and ready to drink now, yet still has the stamina for a couple more decades in cellar. Pure hedonism. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent

Sweet liqourice, chalk, blackberry pie, damson, espresso, touch of reduction keeps things subdued for a moment, followed by an explosion of flavours, this is great quality, and distinctive with orange peel lift and acidity on the finish. Winemaker Marcelo Pelleriti makes the wines across Henri Parent's estates in Pomerol and Argentina. 100% hand destemmed, old vines from a high altitude site at 1,200m in the Uco Valley. Held back at the estate until ready to drink making this its first release, second year of sale through the Place de Bordeaux. Heavy bottle. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

The oldest of the two vintages I tasted of the top wine, the 2014 La Violeta reached 15.5% alcohol, less than the previous wine I tasted and more than the following vintage, 2017, that I tasted next to this. This comes from stony soils with limestone, and the grapes from hand-destemmed grapes fermented in French oak barrels that are rotated with a manual pigeage. It matured in (40%) new barriques for two to three years and then was let to rest for five years in bottle before being released. Marcelo Pelleriti told me the changes started with this vintage when he used 7% Cabernet Franc, and they used only 40% new barrels (in the past it was 100% new oak) and also a gentler vinification to extract less. These wines are not going to be released until their 10th birthday, and they should be long lived and develop in bottle. But they will always remain  - Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate

This is a richer Violeta with blackberry, dark-chocolate and walnut aromas and flavors. Medium to full body. Creamy, round and layered tannins and a savory finish. Very fine. 7% cabernet franc to the malbec. Drink or hold on release. - James Suckling