So much brightness here with sliced lime and some lemon zest. Plenty of minerally character, too. Medium and vivid. Crisp. Producer Information Dominio del Plata is an Argentinian wine company founded and owned by leading winemaker Susana Balbo, who is known as the Queen of Torrontés, and is credited with first developing this now-familiar aromatic grape. As with many other estates in Argentina, it is also known for its Malbec. The winery is located in Luján de Cuyo, with vineyard plots in various subregions of the Uco Valley. The estate was formed in 1999, by which time Balbo had already amassed more than 20 years' experience as a consultant winemaker. The range of wines is headed by the Nosotros line, which comprises a Malbec, the Francis – 50 percent Malbec, 30 percent Cabernet Sauvignon with Cabernet Franc and Tannat – and the Sofita cuvée (75 percent Malbec with Cabernet Sauvignon and a little Cabernet Franc). The Susana Balbo Signature series represents a personal selection with a stated emphasis on aromatics, complexity and balance. This tier includes the Brioso red and white (the former a Cabernet Sauvignon-based Bordeaux Blend and the latter a combination of Semillón, Torrontés and Sauvignon Blanc) Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec in dry and late-harvest versions, and both a barrel-fermented and late-harvest Torrontés. A more recent edition to the series is the Paraje Altamira Malbec. The BenMarco range is sourced from more extreme sites and includes Pinot Noir, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Malbec blend: Expresivo. All of the reds see 14-18 months aging in French oak, with 100 percent new wood for Nosotros and Signature, and a mix of new and one year-old oak for BenMarco. Finally, the Crios label features a wide range of monovarietal and blended wines for everyday consumption, inluding a Malbec rosé. The winery mainly ferments the wine in stainless steel tanks, though concrete eggs have been introduced for premium wines.
