Prodigo Malbec Reserva 2004
Bodega
Range
Wine
Vintage
Origin
Price
Appearance
Dense, bright violet red.
Nose
Plum jelly, white pepper. Some liqourice with a trace of eucalyptus herbaceousness. Opens slowly into some oaky leather, wood shavings and subtle smokey characters.
Palate
Light-medium body. Good acid balance and soft tannins, but slightly austere-tasting fruit lacking the complexities apparent in the aroma. Some spicy pepper notes. Adequate finish, with a slightly oily aftertaste.
Overall
Bodega owner Alessandro Speri is aiming to appeal to a sophisticated palate with his Prodigo wines, looking to coax subtleties from the fruit and deliver a style that stands out against the Mendoza norm. However for his first vintage the fruit doesn't seem to have provided good material to realise this ambition. Hopefully 2005 will be a fairer reflection of what Prodigo has to offer. For the 2004, AR$70 a bottle is hard to justify.
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(November 06)