2015 Flechas de los Andes Punta De Flechas Corte Mendoza Argentina 750 ml

A bottle bearing the DNA of First Growth Lafite Rothschild and superstar consultant Michel Rolland at under $20—it seems impossible, until you raise your glass of the 2015 Flechas de los Andes Punta de Flechas Corte Mendoza Argentina, a seductive and satiny dark-fruited red that shows its priceless pedigree down to the last drop.

We scored this stunning blend of Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot straight from the cellars in the Uco Valley, and with one foot high in the Andes and one in the Médoc, it drinks at double its Cru Bourgeois price point. With a rich purple core, intense black-fruited nose, plus a woodsy and savory backdrop, the 91-point 2015 is now boasting a perfectly integrated palate of blackcurrant and plum laced with cocoa nibs, tobacco, cigar, and cedar spice. 

James Suckling counseled readers to drink or hold this wine when he reviewed it in 2018, and frankly, we hope he took his own advice and held on to a few himself. Because the last two years have done wonders, subtly integrating the tannins, fruit, and spice for perfect drinking pleasure. Break out a few bottles for a dinner party with friends, or pop one as a weeknight steak wine or winter warmer when the weather turns chilly. There’s absolutely no bad time for a perfectly aged red like this.

Two deep-pocketed Frenchmen with even deeper wine credentials—Baron Benjamin de Rothschild (of Château Clarke, Champagne Barons de Rothschild, and South Africa’s Rupert & Rothschild) and Laurent Dassault (Bordeaux Châteaux Rieussec and Lafleur)—went on a quest for priceless terroir at the foot of the Andes, and Flechas de los Andes is the pot of gold they discovered. Each partner purchased 250 acres, land they’ve united and turned into a thriving, world-class vineyard. 

Named for the five arrows (flechas, in Spanish) on the Rothschild crest, Flechas de los Andes has now been under vine for 20 years, enjoying the dry, extreme climate that makes the Uco Valley the perfect place to cultivate Malbec. One of the wisest moves they made was claiming Michel Rolland to spearhead the site location and planting. In addition to his impeccable Bordeaux credentials, Rolland has been in love with the region for three decades, and heads nearby Clos de los Siete. 

Consisting of 50% Malbec and the rest a mix of Bordeaux varieties, the 2015 Corte was grown on a blend of granite, sand, and gravel at more than 3,000 feet of altitude, where the vines reap ripeness and vibrant acidity from hot, dry days and frigid nights. After double-sorting before and after destemming, the wine aged for a year (in 1/3 new oak, 1/3 used oak, and 1/3 tank) before being bottled. And now, after five motionless years in the cellar, the wine is absolutely singing. 

A bottle with this kind of pedigree for this price is nearly unheard of. One with five years of age is a rare opportunity. Don’t miss this chance at a perfectly cellared under-$20 case-buy backed by some of the most revered names in the world of wine.