I have long been following the Versado. This winery is owned by Southbrook Winemaker Ann Sperling and Peter Gamble. I have had the chance to taste these wines in the past, but it has been a few years since having a chance to visit them. This is the first time that I have had the opportunity to spend time with full bottles (that were provided for me for review by Cru Wine Merchants) and do a deep dive on what Ann and Peter are up to. Needless to say I wasn’t disappointed.
I put a brief post on Instagram praising the Reserva – and it was met with several responses and raised eyebrows at the price. Coming in just shy of sixty dollars I had people questioning how good could it be … isn’t Argentina supposed to be the land of killer twenty dollar Malbec? I also got a pointer from Instagram to check out the Viña Cobos Cocodrilo (I paid for this bottle). I am an unapologetic fan of the Viña Cobos wines – I snap up everything from the Felino line when it rolls through the LCBO. And I had to make sure the Reserva was not overpriced. Needless to say I left satisfied at the tasting of all three of these wines.
2014 Versado Reserva – $58.95 – Vintages 316984 – ****1/2+ – The concentration in your glass will feel unbelievable. The aromas of cassis and blackberry flow out of the glass like they are in a hurry to escape. On the palate the plush fruit flavours fill your mouth from cheek to cheek, but the structure of this wine feels like a perfect caress for your tongue. Fruit notes are met with cocoa and black pepper all playing in perfect harmony. In spite of the intensity, and largeness of the fruit flavours there is an elegance to the finish of this wine. The tannin is soft and very well integrated at this point – you could easily take this home and drink it now. But, I imagine this will hold and evolve with ease over the next decade.
2017 Versado Malbec – $24.95 – Vintages 317008 – **** – This is typical of what you would expect from this pricepoint of Malbec. The tannins are still stubborn and grippy on this wine, but after about an hour they started to relax. The fruit notes are perfectly ripe without being jammy – nice notes of Blackberry and Cassis. Fruit notes are met with cocoa… and that note is amplified by the firm tannin. Decant for an hour or enjoy starting in 2024-2026.
2018 Viña Cobos Cocodrilo – $34.94 – Vintages 480384 – 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec, 8% Cabernet Franc, 3% Syrah, 3% Merlot – This is a juicy blend of bordeaux varieties. Immediately accessible with notes of blueberry and cassis. The tannin is short and relaxed after a half hour open. Nice intensity in the glass and very well balanced. Under torrents of fruit there are subtle hints of roasted herb. An hour in a decanter, or a few years in the cellar will serve this wine well.
