2023 La Posta Fazzio Armando Bonarda

Laura Catena – daughter of the famous wine pioneer Nicolas Catena - set up the La Posta wine series to give the smaller winegrowers of Mendoza their own stage, instead of a nameless spot in the local cooperative. The wines are called La Posta, after the typical local pub that you can find everywhere here on the side of the road.

Estela Armando's family started their own vineyards in 1887, a year after emigrating from Piemonte. This Bonarda comes from a vineyard that was planted by her grandfather in 1963. Perfect care and little irrigation produces a Bonarda of high quality. The 'local' Bonarda grape comes from Italy, but has been in Argentina long enough to be fully established there. It is wonderful for making supple wines, bursting with fruit. But there are also more serious examples, of which this is one. The wine has a lot of power, and can therefore also undergo wood maturation. It matures for 10 months in barriques, of which 70% French and 30% American oak. These are exclusively used barrels, to keep the fruit intact. It is therefore an ideal combination of wood and fruit, with a special depth.

The La Posta Armando Bonarda (Estela Armando) is an ideal combination of wood and fruit, with a special depth, powerful in the smell, sweet fruit, liquorice, thyme, vanilla, dried plums and chocolate, raspberries, lush and beautifully smooth, coffee, leather, tobacco, wonderfully rounded. Powerful red wine. Tasty with game stew, hare stew, grilled entrecote, mature cheeses.