Chakana Ayni Malbec Paraje Altamira 2021

The fruit for this wine is sourced from Chakana’s Paraje Altamira vineyard in the Uco Valley which sits at 1000 metres above sea level. This helps to produce ripe and very concentrated grapes which are fermented with wild yeasts in stainless steel tanks and then aged in large oak foudres for 12 months. Bursting with wild berries, dark plums and ripe cassis, this robust yet smooth Malbec.
Ayni is the Quechua term for the principle of reciprocity, practiced for centuries by the Andean people – “in order to receive, you first have to give.” Chakana’s renowned Paraje Altamira vineyard, which sits 3,300 feet above sea level, bears the name Ayni & is the source of the Ayni wines.

“Chakana is an organic and biodynamic producer in Mendoza, that harvests from a vineyard in Paraje Altamira to produce this terroir-focused, minimal intervention Malbec. Aged in a mixture of casks and barrels for 12 months, this is a pure, energetic red in which fresh red fruit aromas combine with spice, herbs and mineral notes. In the mouth, it’s fluid with lively acidity and firm, chalky tannins. A potent, long-lasting wine. Drinking Window: 2023 – 2030” 94pts Decanter

The cooler growing conditions of the 2021 vintage are wonderfully apparent in this complex, layered Malbec from Paraje Altamira. Very lightly wooded to allow the terroir to express itself, this is subtle, peppery and floral, with bramble and red berry flavors, chalky precision, granular tannins and a bright, acidity-driven finish. 2024-29 94pts Tim Atkins