Finca Sophenia, Altosur Malbec, Gualtallary, Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina 2021

It's fair to say that no other country delivered value in this year's DWWA to match that sent over to us from Argentina, and this saturatedly dense, dark Malbec from the prized highlands of Gualtallary makes this point admirably. It's initially beefy and purposeful in aroma, the plum and sloe fruits emerging in purer form with time in the glass or the decanter. There's admirable weight, lyricism and lift to those fruits: Gualtallery is never clumsy. Better still, in place of overt tannins and intrusive acidity there is a kind of sappy, stemmy freshness which combines the function of both texture and acidity -- and that, in fact, is the origin of the fruit's notable energy and charm. Value Best In Show wines rarely exceed the appeal you'll find here.

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