2021 Achaval Ferrer Quimera Malbec, Mendoza

Cedary nose with beautiful aromas of blackcurrant and cherry fruit, tobacco undertones. Solid structure, energetic on the palate. Classy wine.

94 points decanter.com

A fresh and ripe nose with a dusty cocoa powder accent to the ripe, inky fruit. Spices and a hint of violets and black peppercorns. A medium- to full-bodied blend of malbec, merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot with flattering ripe fruit and some fine-grained tannins. Hedonistic in style. Drink or hold

93 points Zekun Shua jamessuckling.com

Achaval Ferrer Quimera Malbec is one of Argentina’s great modern red blends and a wine that captures the philosophical heart of the Achaval Ferrer project in Mendoza. The name Quimera means chimera or dream, and it reflects the estate’s original ambition to craft a wine that expressed harmony between vineyard sites rather than a single plot. Fruit is drawn from some of Mendoza’s most expressive zones including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, where altitude, intense sunlight and cool Andean nights build wines of depth, perfume and natural freshness. These vineyards sit on poor alluvial soils of sand, stone and limestone, forcing vines to struggle and dig deep, resulting in small berries and remarkable concentration without heaviness.

Achaval Ferrer was founded in the late 1990s by Santiago Achával and Manuel Ferrer, pioneers of a new Argentine mindset that focused on terroir, old vines and low yields at a time when volume was still the norm. Their obsessive attention to vineyard detail and minimal intervention approach helped redefine how the world viewed Malbec. Quimera was conceived as their flagship blend, typically led by Malbec and supported by Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and at times Petit Verdot, depending on the vintage. Winemaking is deliberately restrained, with gentle extraction and careful oak aging designed to polish the wine without masking its origin.

In the glass Quimera shows a deep violet black colour, immediately expressive with aromas of blackberry, black cherry, plum, violet, graphite and sweet spice. The palate is rich and layered yet remarkably poised, delivering dark fruits, cocoa, cedar and savoury notes wrapped in fine, velvety tannins. There is a wonderful tension between power and freshness, a hallmark of Achaval Ferrer’s style, and the finish is long, polished and quietly authoritative. It pairs beautifully with grilled steak, lamb, slow cooked meats and earthy dishes, and it is built to age gracefully for fifteen to twenty years, gaining complexity through notes of tobacco, leather and spice as it matures.

Achaval Ferrer Quimera Malbec is not about sheer force but about balance, elegance and expression, a wine that helped usher Argentine fine wine onto the global stage and continues to stand as a benchmark for serious Mendoza reds.