O último artigo de Jay Miller para a Wine Advocate: “Argentina: Summing Up”

Muitos já devem saber que, depois de um grande escândalo, o Jay Miller não está mais na Wine Advocate.

Jay era responsável pelas regiões do Oregon, Washington, Espanha, América do Sul e os Portos Vintages.

O escândalo envolveu uma denúncia que Jay daria boas notas aos vinhos espanhóis em troca de dinheiro. A denúncia não foi comprovada, mas pouco tempo depois Jay anunciou sua saída da Wine Advocate. Quem assumirá os vinhos da América do Sul será Neal Martin.

Pouco antes de sua saída, Jay Miller, que escrevou sobre os vinhos Argentinos por 5 anos, fez um artigo que achei bastante interessante e transcrevo aqui para vocês:

Argentina: Summing Up

This is my final report on Argentina for The Wine Advocate, as I have decided to wind down a little and return to a less demanding job of consulting and working at my old retail shop, Bin 604 Wine Sellers. Over the last 5+ years, the region has undergone dramatic changes. When I did my first review in 2007, I covered more wines from Argentina than had been reviewed in the first 28 years of this journal. Now Argentina, depending upon the latest statistics, is one of the top three importers to the USA market, along with Spain and Chile.

Based on what I have heard and observed, things are looking bright for Argentina. The USA market in not saturated. As the economy gradually improves, Argentina can reasonably expect that its more expensive wines (those over $20) will gradually gain traction and sales of its value priced wines will continue unabated.

Qualitatively, this is how things stand from my perspective after extensive tastings in Argentina and stateside:

The Top Producers (5*):

Achaval-Ferrer

Alta Vista

Catena Zapata

Vina Cobos

Luca

Mendel

O. Fournier

San Pedro de Yacochuya

The Next Best (4*):

Viña Alicia

Altamira de los Andes

Altocedro

Susana Balbo

BenMarco

Luigi Bosca

Bressia

Bodegas Caro

Colomé

Cuvelier Los Andes

Bodega F. DuPont (pending more vintages)

El Enemigo

Enrique Foster

Finca La Luz

Marchiori & Barraud

Montviejo

Bodega Poesia

Pulenta Estate

Riglos

Finca Sophenia

Bodegas Tacuil

Tematico

Terrazas

Trapiche

Vistalba

The Best Wines:

Achaval Ferrer single vineyard cuvées

Viña Alicia Malbec Brote Negro

Alta Vista Alto

Luigi Bosca Icono

Catena Zapata single vineyard and Nicolas Catena cuvées

Vina Cobos uNico

Colomé Reserva Malbec

Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Malbec

Finca Flichman Parcela 26

Mendel Finca Remota

Nieto Senetiner Bonarda Limited Edition

Poesia

Terrazas Cheval Des Andes

Trapiche Single Vineyard Malbecs

The Best Value Wines:

Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Clasico

Clos de Los Siete

Viña Cobos Felino cuvées

Crios

Don Miguel Gascon Malbec

Lamadrid

Felix Lavaque Felix Torrontes

O. Fournier Urban Uco

Rutini varietals

Tikal Patriota

—Jay Miller