Hervé Birnie-Scott aka El Loco Francés (The Crazy Frenchman)
Founder & Estate Director, Terrazas de los Andes
My mellow mood, fueled by a rainy day in Manhattan, called for an elegant yet approachable wine that would wrap around me like a cashmere scarf. So I reached for three intriguing bottles of Malbec from Terrazas de los Andes that had patiently waited for me to taste them. Yes, Malbec.
Some folks don't consider Malbec cool because it's ubiquitous. But a wine's cool factor isn't its most important attribute. I want well-made, authentic, balanced wines with a compelling story, and Terrazas de los Andes delivers on all fronts. And honestly, anyone who doesn't think that Malbec is cool has not been paying attention to the exciting developments in Argentine winemaking. Not all Malbecs are created equal, and Terrazas de los Andes is an example of how compelling it can be when made with care and creativity.
Armed with only a WW1- era altimeter, in the early 1990's French viticulturist and winemaker Hervé Birnie-Scott set off on an adventure to explore the high-altitude terraces of the Andes. His equipment may have been ancient, but Hervé's skills and intuition were up to the task: he is a cold-climate winemaking expert with experience in Sancerre, Victoria, and California's North Coast. Hervé's unconventional approach and years-long quest to make wine from these high-altitude vineyards earned him the nickname of "el loco Francés" (the crazy Frenchman) from the locals. He may be a little loco, but Hervé's wines are a thing of beauty.
Fresh, vibrant, nuanced, and bursting with flavor, the Terrazas de los Andes expressions of Malbec are full-bodied and graceful. They are complex without being clunky and overwrought. Their portfolio also includes Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, which I look forward to tasting.
Terrazas de los Andes Tasting Notes
Malbec Reserva 2020 ($19.99) is a charming introduction to the fresh and flavorful Terrazas de los Andes style. Crisp with juicy flavors of red and black fruit, violets, and a kiss of sweet spice, it is composed of Malbec grapes from more than 100 parcels from 7 estate vineyards that range in altitude from 3510 ft. to 4101 ft. above sea level. An elevated everyday sip.
Grand Malbec 2018 ($59.99)
A blend of three vineyards with elevations ranging from 3510 ft. to 4100 ft. above sea level, this wine is described as "the fullest expression of Malbec from Terrazas de los Andes." It is more complex and fuller-bodied than the Reserva, but that signature freshness shines through. Ripe black fruit with hints of violet, sweet spices, savory threads of dried herbs, and a touch of graphite.
Parcel No. 1E “El Espinillo” Malbec 2018 ($99.99)
Described as "the jewel in the Terrazas crown," El Espinillo vineyard is the highest altitude vineyard in Mendoza's esteemed Gualtallary appellation. It is located at a jaw-dropping altitude of 5413 ft. above sea level -- a "high-risk but high-reward elevation that requires extreme viticulture." Intense and brooding but still impressively fresh with flavors of blueberry, blackberry, plum, violet, herbs, a touch of underbrush & meaty mushrooms.
