2014 Zorzal Malbec Gran Terroir 750 ml

Plush intensity of Napa Cabernet with Médoc Nuance

This 2014 Zorzal Gran Terroir earned 92 points from Vinous, which praised it as “an incredible value.” The Wine Advocate was similarly enamoured with this bargain Malbec, rating it 91 points and calling Zorzal “among the best bargains of the vintage, year in, year out.”  From their perch in Gualtallary, Mendoza’s best subregion, way up in the foothills of the Andes at an incredible 4,500 feet elevation, the Michelini brothers “keep producing fresh, elegant and terroir-driven wines” says the Advocate.

Mendoza Malbec has been one of the breakout wine successes of the 21st century, and it’s easy to understand why. The wines have all the plush intensity of Napa Cabernet with the structure and nuance of top-vintage Médoc. Moreover, as the top wines from the aforementioned regions have climbed well into the four figure range and have tent-poled pricing across their areas, Mendoza’s Malbecs have filled an important void for consistency, quality, and pricing.

The Michelini brothers founded Zorzal in 2007 with all this in mind, but with an absolute laser-focus on quality. They wanted to craft wines of power, finesse, and nuance, rather than fudgy, extracted monsters some of their neighbors were making. They sought out the highest altitude plot they could find in Gualtallary, leading to maximal phenolic ripeness, while keeping alcohols in check. The organic farming, indigenous yeast fermentations, and light-touch winemaking let Gualtallary’s terroir shine through. The Gran Terroir will appeal to both New World and Old World drinkers — boasting southern hemisphere sun-kissed fruit and lush body fused with polished tannic structure, and the fresh acid-cut of European reds.