Christie Kiley on April 28, 2014 0 Comments This week, I bring you a wine that was not personally chosen by me, but by a guest from a wine tasting. They had left my tasting for a dinner reservation and on their return brought me back a bit of wine in the bottle they had enjoyed for dinner. I thought it was a very sweet gesture that they wanted to share with me a wine they had enjoyed so much that they wanted to pass on the experience to me. The 2011 Punto Corral Vino Tinto de Corte—in short, blend—is a complex wine, yet one you can just so simply take in and just enjoy and relish. It is a perfectly harmonious blend of Malbec, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Its location Everyone has heard of Mendoza, even Salta, Argentina, but few hear about Jujuy. The province is located about 1,000 miles northwest of Buenos Aires, cradled by the province of Salta from southwest border to its upper northeastern side. If you have a look at the map of Argentina, the Province of Jujuy sort of takes on the shape of an elfish boot. Like Salta, it shares the border of Chile and Bolivia and also, just like Salta, the vineyards of this region sit at some of the highest altitudes in the world. The winery Bodega Fernando Dupont sits at 8,202 feet above sea level. Every vine throughout the world that makes great wine is found in some of the most difficult of environments. The plant learns to adapt and adjust to harsh conditions, in soil with little nutrients and where little water is kept and in particular, in Jujuy at high altitudes where the vines have lengthy exposure to sun and at close proximity. The whole purpose of the grape’s adaptation is to protect its seed, its future offspring. The fruit does this by producing thicker skins and creating smaller berries. Lucky for wine makers all over, this makes for complex and concentrated fruit for wine of similar character. The Bodega of Fernando Dupont is located in the Valley of Quebrada de Humahuaca, and at the foot of the valley lies many small towns, including that of Maimara, the home of our featured wine. The region is registered as a World Natural and Cultural Heritage site and for other reasons outside of wine, should be put on your bucket list as a must-see. The most popular tourist spot is the ‘Cerro de los Siete Colores’ or Seven-Color Mount. Have a look at the pic below! If you are into taking a breath-taking hike to work off any wine and food indulgence, this is the place to see! The local homes are built out of adobe and bricks of sun-dried mud. You might just feel like you have stepped inside another world or a far-distant, ancient place in time. The valley is high, arid desert climate and the grapes thrive here. The harsh environment contributes to its high concentration of flavors and aromas. They only use ground water to irrigate the vines which allows the grapes to really soak up the rich minerals found in their soils. This shows through in their wines and makes for an interesting backbone and structure. The vision of winemaker, Marcos Etchart and his team make for terroir driven wines (very hard to find in New World styles) that are intense—in every aspect of the word—yet subtly rich. So, in order to truly enjoy this wine with my company who was so nice to bring me back some of this wine from their dinner, I split the remnants in three glasses while they lit up their cigars, a Monte Cristo mini and a Monte Cristo No. 3. Back to the wine The aromas in the wine were almost erotic. It was sweaty and meaty. Raw meat. The aromas continued to emanate from the bowl of my wine glass with each swirl of the elderberries that grew in my southwestern Pennsylvania backyard where I grew up, blackberries, currants and blueberry flesh. None of these fruits were jammy like those found in a fresh baked pie, but they were fresh and juicy as if you held them in your hand and happily smashed them between your hands just for the fun of smelling their juices and to watch it run between your fingers. The flavors went even further into full, fresh and young cherries with dark cranberries. The wine had a finish so soft and smooth it could be compared to silk sheets falling from one’s skin as they arise from bed. I could not get enough and it didn’t stop evolving as I carefully sipped its final drops so as to savor every moment. You must find this wine and have an experience all your own! More Wine Reviews: 2010 Columbia Valley Red Blend “Graves” Las Perdices 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Dolium Eco-Estate 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Gundlach Bundschu Cabernet Sauvignon