2018 Estate Malbec "Amparo"

91 Points

Saturated bright, dark ruby. Almost porty yet fresh scents of blackberry, blueberry, cassis, menthol, licorice, bitter chocolate, espresso, and violet; conveys an urgent dark berry character. Sappy, densely packed, smooth, and classically dry, showing lovely ripeness to its dark berry and dark chocolate flavors lifted by violet. Suppler and more forthcoming than the 2017 Amparo Malbec, despite its youth. Still young and quite primary but even today the substantial tannins are supple and fine-grained. Finishes with a note of violet lift. Better balanced early than the 2017, not to mention nicely concentrated. There is a complicating touch of herbs here but not the peppery quality of the ’17. – Stephen Tanzer

 19+/20 points

This Malbec boasts a semi opaque ruby-crimson color and intense aromas of wild fruits – blackberries, mountain blueberries, cranberries, black currants – with scents of crushed black roses, sweet tobacco, lavender, star anise, violets, sandalwood and spiced incense. The flavors are thick and mouth filling, almost massive, yet supple, with deliciously juicy black and blue fruits that are intermixed with licorice, bittersweet chocolate, dark roast coffee beans and earth. The back picks up pressed fruits, roasted nuts, mocha and charcoal, followed by a lingering sweet-dry tannin finish. - Rand Sealy, Review of Washington Wines