2003 Yacochuya

The 2003 Yacochuya Malbec shows more vivacity on the nose than the 2004 and indeed, there is something Pomerol-esque with animally/truffle scents. The palate is full-bodied with a saline entry, firm tannins and a rather bitter, Marmite-like, yeasty finish. Drink now. Located in the Calchaqui Valley, this was the first winery that Michel Rolland invested in outside of France back at the dawn of the modern era in 1988 and is a collaboration with Arnaldo Etchart. With respect to the whites, the 2012s were just being bottled when I was conducting my tastings but I hope to review them in the next report. I tasted two vintages of the Yacochuya Malbec with some bottle age and to be honest I was not overly convinced by either, providing more evidence to the prosecution that Malbec is not the greatest grape in terms of propensity to age (and therefore, no fault of the winemaker.) Importer: Vine Connections, Sausalito, CA; tel. (415) 332-8466