Bodegas CARO, Mendoza 2015

(14% alcohol; aged for 18 months in French oak, 60% new): Bright, dark red-ruby. Deeper on the nose than the 2015 Amancaya by a wide margin, offering aromas of cassis, licorice, graphite, mocha and tobacco leaf. Richer and deeper on the palate too, boasting excellent flesh and concentration as well as subtle sweetness to its blackcurrant and mineral flavors. Boasts lovely clarity and inner-mouth lift and spreads out horizontally on the back end, vibrating and building. The tannins are refined and not all austere; this distinctly Old World style of Malbec should evolve slowly and gracefully.

• Drinking Window: 2020 - 2029
• Reviewer Name: Stephen Tanzer
• Review Date: July 2018