2017 Matias Riccitelli Malbec Tinto De La Casa Lujan de Cuyo 750 ml

 Argentine Young Gun Hits the Mark

Remember the name Matias Riccitelli—then claim your share of our allocation of his fantastic 94-point 2017 Tinto de la Casa Malbec. It’s positively delicious and massively over-delivering, and today’s Wine Access exclusive represents your one and only chance to experience this red by a young gun of Argentine winemaking.

We heard Matias’s name mentioned so many times on our last swing through Mendoza that we had to pay him a visit, and as soon as we took a sip of his 2017 Tinto de la Casa, we knew what all the buzz was about. The powerful and seductive Malbec blew us away with its brambly and minerally character, and its concentration and structure—so much that we claimed our allocation on the spot, knowing our fans of Argentine reds and California Cabs would flip for this wine. 

And that was before we saw the scores: 94 points from James Suckling. 93 from Wine Advocate, which said the Tinto de la Casa brings “incredible intensity and depth for this price,” which sits at an unfathomable $22.99 when you buy a case—a stunning 34% off of the $35 SRP. 

When we say that Matias Riccitelli has caught the attention of just about every critic who has set foot in South America, we’re not exaggerating. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate called him “one of the names to really follow in Argentina,” and Tim Atkin MW named Riccitelli as Young Winemaker of the Year in his 2016 report on Argentina. The Guardian has sung his praises, and Wine Enthusiast named him as one of the vintners setting the course for Argentine wine.

Matias’s home base is in the highest area of Lujan de Cuyo (about 3300’ above sea level), where he tends fifty acres of old vines that grow on ungrafted rootstock. Half of the grapes from the Tinto de la Casa come from this plot, and the other half come from Gualtallary—vineyards that are even higher (4500’) than those at his home vineyard. These vines dig deep in an existential struggle for moisture, naturally limiting yields and resulting in wines of outstanding natural concentration. The massive diurnal temperature variation—which can be up to fifty degrees—means the grapes are exquisitely balanced with vibrant acidity.

The grapes are fermented in small French oak vats, where they age until the next year’s harvest is ready for its time in the barrel, and the result is the kind of wine that’s making a household name out of Matias Riccitelli: It’s powerful and seductive, wrapped up in aromatics of brambly dark berries, and all delivered on a palate of expansive and rich black and blueberry fruit. This is a groundbreaking Malbec that won't break the bank—and that we fully expect to sell out.