Altos Las Hormigas Jardin de Hormigas Los Amantes Malbec 2022 750ml

This shows subtle blue fruit, dried violets and stony minerality. Herbal and aromatic, with vibrant, almost effervescent tannins and delicate, compelling fruit. There’s beautiful harmony between tannins, fruit and freshness that delivers a truly balanced expression. Sourced from a one-hectare parcel in El Jardín de las Hormigas in Altamira. Fermented at low temperatures in cement and aged for 15 months in a 3,200-liter foudre. Drink now.

The more ethereal and mineral-tinged of the two Altamira single-plot bottlings, the 2022 Jardín de Hormigas Los Amantes hails from limestone gravel soils with less topsoil than the Meteroa bottling. It leads with an expressive yet coiled nose that dynamically gains dimension with every swirl. While also exuding the floral, lifted bouquet typical of Altamira, there is austerity and focus here that sets it apart from the Meteora bottling. This difference is fully realized on the palate, where a compelling combination of sleek, polished focus and mineral-drenched lift releases into a soaring, discreetly juicy finish that lingers with crushed-stone nuances, managing a completeness that is rare in such overtly mineral-driven wines, which can easily feel like they are lacking depth. That couldn't be farther from the case here. This is a stunning, definitive and transparent example of Altamira Malbec rendered in high definition.