Tim Atkin's 2012 Argentina Report

Tim Atkin has just spent the last nine months compiling a comprehensive and compelling report on the wines of Argentina. His journey led him to taste more than 500 wines, skipping back and forth from London to Argentina in a bid to focus on wines of exceptional quality, compiling a fascinating list which includes only wines which scored 90 points and upwards. We were interested to find four of our Yachouya, Cafayate wines which have been tasted and scored below.

2003 Yacochuya   15.9%, Cafayate, Drink: 2012-13

"A wine that is still commercially available on some markets (the estate likes to release its reds with bottle age) this is typical of the Yacochuya style: idiosyncratic, yet surprisingly elegant for its alcohol level. Behind the slighty pruney flavours, there are notes of raspberry and black cherry, a lift of volatility and medium weight tannins. Still, time to drink up."

Score: 92

2004 Yacochuya   16.4%, Cafayate, Drink: 2012

"Given the choice, I’d drink the 2003 in preference, but this is still quite a wine, showing rich, curranty, caked, almost baked fruit, notes of incense and wild herbs, powerful tannins (from shrivelled skins perhaps) and dense, palate-coating fruit flavours. A wine that you could cut with a steak knife."

Score: 91

2008 Yacochuya    15%, Cafayate, Drink: 2012-16

"Made in a slightly cooler vintage, this is comparatively elegant by the standards of Yacochuya, despite the high alcohol. It’s less reliant on oak than some recent releases, with notes of spice, cassis and green pepper, medium weight tannins and underlying minerality and freshness. Complex and very long on the palate."

Score: 94

2008 San Pedro de Yacochuya  15.4%, Cafayate, Drink: 2012-15

"This is the second wine of Yacochuya, but it’s still a tasty wine in its own right, made with 80% Malbec and 20% Cabernet and aged in second use oak for a year. It’s almost Rhône-like, with notes of black olive and lavender, some pepper spice and a hint of volatility. Unusual, certainly, but full of personality."

Score: 92