Nestled in the Uco Valley region of the Mendoza province of Argentina, the legendary Paul Hobbs has quietly delivered one pleasing bottle after another under the Viña Cobos moniker. Much like siblings Bramare and Felino, Reptil promises to hold attention and offers some of the best the region has to offer. Let’s find out.
Complex and rich, this malbec offers lots of plum and a dominant but enjoyable tobacco leaf note on the first pass. With a bit of time in the glass, the fruit influence appears, revealing a punch of blackberry compote and oak. On the palate, there’s a lovely sequence of campfire smoke, graphite, and blackberry before the arrival of nuanced touches of wild thyme and more plum rounding things off. A slight touch of mint emerges to deliver a clean finish with some acidity, but not overbearingly so. It needs to be paired with a rich meal or hearty appetizers to shine to its fullest potential but can also be enjoyed solo. Either way, it is most certainly ready to drink now.
A- / $55 / vinacobos.com
2017 Viña Cobos Reptil Malbec
$55
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