2015 Mendel Cabernet Sauvignon Lujan de Cuyo Mendoza 750 ml

Napa Cabernet’s Mountain Challenger

Antonio Galloni’s Vinous called the 2015 Mendel Cabernet Sauvignon, “seamless,” “minerally,” and “most impressive” and pinned on 92 points. Not to be outdone, James Suckling awarded the label 93-points for its “full body that’s chewy and rich.” We’d expect nothing less from winemaker Roberto de la Mota who, according to Jancis Robinson, “has been making some of the best wines in Argentina for a long time.” This exceptional Cabernet demonstrates De la Mota’s prowess as he ascends some 3,400 feet to source fruit from 21-year-old vines ensconced in the Lujan de Cuyo’s prestigious Perdriel sub-region. Considering that this elevation is two times higher than the highest vineyards in Napa, this is mountain Cabernet at its veritable peak. 

The year was 2002. Anabelle Sielecky had the chance to buy the vineyard her late father planted in 1928. Only one problem — the architect knew little about winemaking. Then she got to know Roberto de la Mota, a winemaker with arguably Argentina’s most impressive viticultural bloodline — the high Parker scores his father Don Raul de la Mota earned in the 1970s and 1980s thrust Argentinian wines onto the world stage. A partnership was born. More importantly, two legacies were preserved.

Roberto’s craftsmanship proves the grape didn’t fall far from the vine. The 2015 Mendel Cabernet Sauvignon is a luscious concentration of the Perdriel terroir; one whose aromatic intensity, structure, and nuanced elegance captures the essence of this magical sliver of the Mendoza Valley.