Description

Agustin Lopez, Mauricio Castro, Marcela Manini and Sebastian Zuccardi met at Liceo Agricola and Enologico School in Mendoza Argentina where they began to form what would one day be Alma 4. They produced 300 bottles of Methode Traditional in 1998 and twenty years later, they are still making wine together.

They now produce 5 sparkling cuvees from carefully chosen vineyard sites across the Uco Valley ranging from 1300-1550 meters above sea level.  The Blanc de Blanc 2019 is made entirely from Chardonnay grapes grown in the Tupungato and Tunuyan subregions of the Uco Valley. The vineyards are both sustainably farmed. The most critical detail to this sparkling wine’s quality level is that it has spent 50 months en tirage (on its second fermentation’s lees in the bottle) before disgorgement.  While the Chardonnay is picked earlier, also adding to its seriously refreshing acidity is it is sourced from rare limestone soils in the high elevations of the Uco Valley (Gualtallary).  Just 900 cases were produced.

The 2019 Alma 4 will seriously gratify and “compete” with just about any premier cru Champagne undergoing a similar extended en tirage regime, but for at the very least half the price!  The bubble is very fine and alive with surprisingly good energy.  Straw colored with great clarity, the aromas are a blend of apple, citrus, and fresh baked brioche.  Very refined and elegant on the palate.  Slightly creamy, but still cleansing with hints of pie crust and marzipan.  Finish is long and tapered and what one expects from a more expensive sparkling wine.