Bodega Piedra Negra Chacayes Los Chacayes 2015

This 100 percent Malbec is the flagship bottling of the Piedra Negra winery, owned by France-based vintner François Lurton. At an elevation of 3,600 feet above sea level, the Chacayes estate is located in the southern reaches of the Mendoza region, Argentina’s Malbec heartland. It was virgin territory when Lurton began planting it to wine grapes in the 1990s; the soil in the desertlike climate is nutrient-poor but rich with gravelly deposits from the nearby Andes. The wine was fermented in barrels and 5,000-liter cement vats and aged for 24 months in mostly new French oak, with some amphorae used to lessen the oak influence. Beginning with the 2015 vintage, all the grapes are organically grown.

Tasting Note

Very elegant and rich, with concentrated kirsch, dark plum and cherry tart flavors, backed by medium-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Shows grip midpalate, leading to a finish that turns creamy and plush, primed with spicy richness and chocolate mousse accents. Malbec. Drink now through 2027.—Kim Marcus