The first is my tasting notes which, having reviewed prior to this article, I still wholeheartedly agree with. The second is the fact that I still have the bottle in my home. It stands prominently (though empty) on one of the many shelves in my kitchen, adorned with fairly lights.

The bottle is actually a good place to start. No expense has been spared on this behemoth; it is still heavy despite having been empty for a while. The label consists of a nice blend of blacks and greys with a small emblem featuring “ML” elegantly jutting out from the top left corner.

The Red Blend is one of Mauricio Lorca’s flagship wines and though his vineyard is not the largest in Uco Valley, he already boasts an impressive collection of wines given the relatively short time he’s been going it alone. It consists of Malbec, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon with fermentation taking place in French & American oak barrels. The wine is then aged in French and American oak barrels for a further 16 months to allow the wine to develop oaky, creamy flavours.

This fermentation and maturation process has combined to make a wine of some distinction, and it should be, given that 3000 of each vintage are only ever bottled.

The wine is itself was a deep garnet colour (that’ll be the aging and the Petit Verdot!) with a good nose of blackcurrant, plums, vanilla and leather.

It’s smoky on the palate with the slightest hint of sweet spice though creamy notes do shine through after giving the glass a good swirl. There’s plenty of black fruits too on what is a full bodied, well rounded red wine with a never-ending finish. I had the 2010 vintage (drinking it 9 years later) so the tannins had softened sufficiently to create a silky-smooth mouthfeel too. This is an absolutely outstanding wine and I was gutted by the time I’d finished the bottle! This is one of the best wines I’ve ever tasted and it deserves all the plaudits it gets.

The only downside for me is the cost. You’re going to be paying £75 from a merchant in the UK and that will double if you’re buying it from a restaurant which is just too prohibitive. The Pulenta Gran Malbec and Gran Corte retail for approximately £36-40 and they are as good, if not marginally better for me.

That being said, this is an outstanding wine and a true reflection of just how good Argentinian reds can be. I noted above that Mauricio Lorca boasts an impressive catalogue of wines so if you’re interested in his range then I can’t recommend the “Fantasia Malbec” (Approx. £13) or the “Graffiti” (Upwards of £25) enough. Both are outstanding for their price point and represent great value for the seasoned Argentine red drinker or those new to the region.