Luca Old Vine Uco Valley Mendoza Malbec 2021

The 2021 Luca Old Vines Malbec (94 Points – James Suckling; 93 Points – Wine Spectator; 93 Points – Vinous) is another beautiful, well-endowed Old Vine Malbec from Argentina’s first family of Malbec. Aromatic and seductive, Luca’s 2021 Old Vine Malbec offers a cornucopia of savory scents and flavors: blackberry, cherry, cacao, and violets mingle with sensuous spice tones and rich dark chocolate. The wine’s delectable aromatics follow through in the mouth, offering layers of savory dark berry, chocolate, and intoxicating spice tones. Savory, complex, and long in the finish with a hauntingly beautiful patina of vanilla oak, this wine is a very polished, balanced Malbec. A clear standout, the 2021 Luca Old Vine Malbec may again be named “Malbec of the Year.” For optimal drinking pleasure we suggest serving Luca’s splendid 2021 Old Vine Malbec at cool room temperature (58°-62° F) after thirty minutes or more of aeration. This of course presupposes that one can wait that long. Anticipated maturity: 2024-2032. Enjoy!

In Argentina, meat, not surprisingly, is nearly always the recommended accompaniment to Malbec, Argentina’s signature varietal. Consequently, beef, beef, and more beef would likely be the resounding response to any question regarding what food to serve with the 2021 Luca Old Vine Malbec, and that would be a fine choice but hardly the only choice. The finest Prime Rib au jus served with a potato soufflé or Grilled Porterhouse in the company of a Portabella Mushroom risotto makes a splendid accompaniment. Grilled Stuffed Veal Chops served with roasted Red Bliss potatoes and caramelized Brussels sprouts with pancetta also provide tantalizing companions to Luca’s rich, sophisticated 2021 Old Vine Malbec. Luca’s complex, hedonistic Old Vine Malbec pairs equally well with lamb, venison, poultry and all kinds of game birds. Seared Duck Breast with Cherries in a Port wine sauce also provides especially fine companionship to Luca’s 2021 Old Vine Malbec and ample testament to the wine’s versatility. Italian specialties such as Pappardelle in a Pork Ragu, Lasagna Bolognese, and Eggplant and Zucchini Parmigiana pair nicely too. Lentil soup with carrots and root vegetables or a heart healthy white bean chili, served with ripe avocado, crusty French bread, and hard Pecorino cheese, deserves high praise as well. And, for those who seek the finest Malbec, a clean empty glass will suffice as the sole companion to Luca’s delicious 2021 Old Vine Malbec. Buen Provecho!

Luca wines, the brainchild of vintner, physician, and author Laura Catena, rank among the greatest wines of Argentina. Laura grew up in the most renowned wine-making family of Mendoza, Argentina. Laura’s father Dr. Nicolás Catena was one of the first winery owners in Mendoza to realize Argentina’s enormous viticultural potential and to concentrate on producing quality rather than quantity in the vineyard and wine cellar. Many called him “loco,” yet four decades later the wine drinking world reveres Dr. Catena and applauds his enormous research and painstaking efforts to bring quality Argentine wines to the world market. There would be little clamor today for fine Malbec without Dr. Catena’s work. Fortunately, the apple does not fall far from the tree. Laura Catena began her own wine venture, Luca, in 1999 with the mission to take Argentine wine to an even higher level on the world stage.

Until recently, Laura split her time between Mendoza and San Francisco where she practiced medicine as an Emergency Medicine Specialist, served as a university professor, and raised three children. But, her heart still rested with winemaking in Argentina, where she became the driving force behind Luca. In Luca, named for Laura’s first-born son, Laura has realized her dream of creating small quantities of impeccably made Argentine wines from individual vineyards and terroirs. Made in true artisan fashion, each limited production of Luca wine hails from extraordinary fruit from very low-yield, high elevation, family-owned vineyards. Luca crafts incredible Old Vine Malbec (this month’s feature) from a very old high altitude vineyard; Beso de Dante, an exquisite blend of Malbec and Cabernet that rivals the best that Bordeaux has to offer; world class Chardonnay (G Lot) that rivals the finest Old and New World Chardonnays; and exceptional individual varietal offerings of Pinot Noir and Syrah.

Luca wines set themselves above their rivals by combining power, complexity and finesse all in one package. By the Catena family’s own admission “Laura is continually inspired by the synthesis of cultures in her own family, and this international inspiration infuses the style and quality of her wines.” Moreover, each Luca wine is the ultimate expression of its terroir and reflects the importance of expert vineyard management, skilled winemaking, and the quest for quality at any cost.