Argentina - Avaliação das Safras de 1997 a 2008

Mesmo os mais leigos sabem que um determinado vinho pode ser melhor ou pior dependendo de como foi a safra daquele ano. Inúmeros fatores podem influenciar, mas, o principal deles é mesmo a variação das condições climáticas, vitais para que as uvas possam amadurecer dentro das melhores condições possíveis. Quais são as melhores condições? Bom, isto varia de uva para uva e, claro, de região para região!

Quem já não ouviu falar: "- A safra de 2006 da Argentina foi muito boa, só perdendo para a de 2003.". Mas e a de 2004? E as demais? Aos poucos iremos trazer para os nossos leitores a avaliação das últimas safras das principais regiões produtoras do novo e velho mundo. Decidimos começar pela Argentina por ser um país de fácil acesso a nós Brasileiros e estar, a cada dia, produzindo vinhos sensacionais.

A avaliação e pontuação é da Wine Spectator.

In Vino Veritas!

Gustavo Kauffman (GK)

Argentina - Avaliação das Safras de 1997 a 2008

Vintage: 2008

Score: 87-90

Drink: NYR

Description: Cool, wet weather marked first half of season. March and April turned dry and windy, with lots of sun. Mendoza Malbecs show promise thanks to a long, fresh harvest period; Patagonia also strong.

Vintage: 2007

Score: 88

Drink: Drink or hold

Description: Up-and-down growing season with some hail, cool temperatures and late-season rains; wines have lower alcohol levels and softer tannins. Late-ripening spots in Mendoza (La Consulta, Altamira) strongest.

Vintage: 2006

Score: 91

Drink: Drink or hold

Description: Cool growing season, but dry, with harvest stretching into April and May. Consistent for all major varieties, with top Malbecs showing excellent purity, balance and poise.

Vintage: 2005

Score: 90

Drink: Drink or hold

Description: Cool temperatures early in the season led to reduced yields, but warm, dry March and April helped ripen grapes; late-ripening Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon excelled.

Vintage: 2004

Score: 90

Drink: Drink

Description: Warm, dry season with Malbec the star; some heavy rains late in the season led to variable Cabernet Sauvignon.

Vintage: 2003

Score: 91

Drink: Drink

Description: February heat wave during a long, dry season led to some inconsistencies, but Malbec excellent .

Vintage: 2002

Score: 94

Drink: Drink

Description: Stellar growing season with optimal harvest conditions yielded racy, ripe fruit. Best vintage in a generation, with all varieties performing well.

Vintage: 2001

Score: 87

Drink: Drink

Description: Cool growing season, with the harvest dampened by some rain. Cabernet Sauvignon generally better than Malbec.

Vintage: 2000

Score: 86

Drink: Drink

Description: Cool and wet, but a long growing season allowed for a late-ripening harvest. Malbec generally better than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Vintage: 1999

Score: 90

Drink: Drink

Description: Dry, sunny growing season; small crop of ripe, concentrated reds with rich tannins.

Vintage: 1998

Score: 75

Drink: Past

Description: peak Harvest decimated by El Niño rains; many producers didn't release wines.

Vintage: 1997

Score: 88

Drink: Past

Description: peak Drought year produced concentrated, burly reds

Note: Most Argentinean white wines should be drunk on release.

A score range indicates preliminary analysis based on barrel samples and/or a limited sampling; many wines of the vintage not yet reviewed.

Vintage ratings: 95-100, classic; 90-94, outstanding; 85-89, very good; 80-84, good; 75-79, mediocre; 50-74, not recommended.

Drinkability: "NYR" means the vintage has not yet been released; "drink" means most of the wines of the vintage are ready to drink; "hold" means most of the ageworthy wines have yet to fully mature; "past peak" means most of the wines are declining rather than improving.