2024 La Posta Fazzio Armando Bonarda

Laura Catena –daughter of the renowned wine pioneer Nicolas Catena– established the La Posta series of wines to give the smaller winemakers of Mendoza their own platform, rather than an anonymous spot in the local cooperative. The wines are named La Posta, after the typical local roadside pub found everywhere here.

Estela Armando's family started their own vineyards in 1887, a year after their emigration from Piedmont. This Bonarda comes from a vineyard planted by her grandfather in 1963. Perfect care and minimal irrigation produce a high-quality Bonarda. The 'local' Bonarda grape originates from Italy, but has been in Argentina long enough to be fully established there. It is delightful for making smooth wines bursting with fruit. However, there are also more serious examples, of which this is one. The wine has great power and can therefore undergo wood aging. It ages for 10 months in barriques, 70% of which are 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 exceptional depth.

The La Posta Armando Bonarda (Estela Armando) is an ideal combination of wood and fruit, with exceptional depth; powerful on the nose, sweet fruit, licorice, thyme, vanilla, dried plums and chocolate, raspberries; lush and beautifully smooth, coffee, leather, tobacco; delightfully rounded. Powerful red wine. Flavorful with game stew, hare stew, grilled sirloin, and aged cheeses.