A Look at the Malbecs of Valentin Bianchi

Valentin Bianchi emigrated from the small town of Fasano, Italy in 1910.  He landed in Argentina, more specifically in the village of San Rafael, in the Uco Valley of the Mendoza Region.  Some years later, in 1928, he realized his dream to own a vineyard and winery when “El Chiche” was established, which means “the small winery of great wines”.  The “great wines” part of that original name still stands, although the “small” part has been eclipsed through the generations that followed.

Valentin’s son, Don Enzo Bianchi, joined his father and became a guiding light for Bodegas Bianchi for 50 years.  His constant drive for innovation and quality resulted in a world class winery and a range of highly acclaimed wines.  His three sons, along with their cousins from the Stradella family, continue the tradition.  Today, the fourth generation of this venerable wine making family works to push Bodegas Bianchi to even greater heights.  This is all about quality, pride and family.

Over the years new lines of wine have been introduced, including super premium bottlings that move them into the upper echelon from a quality perspective.  We’ll review some of those wines later on.  There is something for everyone, from entry level, solid value wines to new age wines made to drink young, with lively, forward fruit and a youthful appeal.  Then you have lines which ramp up the quality until you get to the icons.  In between is a fabulous value, high quality line of wines, the Particular range, which includes a Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Merlot.  Wines in the Particular series consistently represent some of the best quality to price wines we have found from South America, or anywhere really.

Production at Bodegas Bianchi now occurs at two wineries.  Today the main winery is in San Rafael,

Bodegas Valentin Bianchi in San Rafael

the historic birthplace of the Bodega, and is named the Valentin Bianchi Winery in honor of the founder.  Three estate vineyards supply grapes, these being Fincas Las Paredes, Asti and Doña Elsa.  This is a large facility which has 350 stainless steel tanks, the largest of which is 400,000 liters!  Over 800 French and American oak barrels rest in the barrel room.  They also have a sparkling wine facility that can produce 300,000 bottles per year.

In the pursuit of ever higher quality, a second winery was established in the Uco Valley in 2017 in Los Chacayes.  This winery, Bodega Enzo Bianchi, uses small stainless steel tanks to accommodate smaller batches.  They still have almost 700 oak barrels here, mostly French, and have even started to experiment with clay and five new ceramic amphorae.  This is where the icon wines are produced, the flagship lines of Bodegas Bianchi.  With amphorae in the house, perhaps an orange wine is coming?

Both sites are certified by Argentina as Sustainable and strive to minimize their impact on the environment.  Water conservation, energy use reduction, waste management and environmental awareness at all times mark their sustainable practices.

So what does all this result in?  First, a lot of wine, but most importantly a lot of good wine, and often great wine.  Let’s take a look at some of the offerings of Bodegas Bianchi, and also get into their philosophy, their approach and their perspective on the terroir and the varietals.  For that we were fortunate enough to get some time with Silvio Alberto, winemaker at Bodegas Bianchi.

If Argentina is know for one grape it is Malbec.  Grown in Bordeaux and part of the classic Bordeaux blend of five grapes, this varietal found a solo career in Argentina.  The Mendoza area, in the foothills of the Andes, seems to be the perfect place.  I asked Silvio about his perspective on Malbec’s place in the pantheon of varietals grown in Argentina.  Here are his thoughts:

“Malbec is the insignia variety not only for Mendoza, but also for all of Argentina. 

For Bianchi, this variety is very important.  It represents approximately 60% of our wines.  As you know, we make different Malbec styles at Bianchi, from entry level, value-priced Malbecs with a lot of fruit (Elsa, Oasis Sur) very easy-to-drink, premium Malbecs with great structure and complexity (Famiglia, Gran Famiglia, L10); Super-Premium Malbec (Particular), and our Icon wine (Enzo).

Malbec is very versatile!  It was the variety that opened the doors of Argentine wines to the world.  It is our ambassador. Malbec found the best place to grow in the Argentinian soil, showing its best expression in Mendoza and in Bianchi´s vineyard (San Rafael, and Los Chacayes in Uco Valley).”

Clearly Malbec is the centerpiece of Bianchi wines, as it is with all of Mendoza.  Interestingly enough, when you talk to wine drinkers about Malbec, you get a lot of mixed opinions.  Many do

Winemaker Silvio Alberto

not consider it a world class varietal, but a dependable, lower cost value wine.  Lower quality versions can indeed leave one wanting.  Some have an aftertaste of dirt, which is not pleasant.  Really though, this kind of argument can be made about any varietal.  There are poorly made versions, good versions, and world class versions.  If you haven’t had a world class Malbec it’s because you have not tried the right bottles!  We’ll review some below.  What does Silvio think about Malbec’s place among the world’s great wine grapes:

“I believe that Malbec is in the same company as the best wines from around the world. In the many different trips I’ve made, I have been able to taste Malbec with other world-class wines and the results are always excellent.  This shows the great potential of Malbec, and we think that wines like our Enzo Bianchi Gran Malbec is a perfect example of wines that exceed expectations, given the wine’s marvelous reviews.”

Let’s take a closer look at some of the excellent Malbec offerings from Bodegas Banchi.

2020 Famiglia Bianchi Malbec – the grapes come from three different areas, Agrelo, Uco Valley and San Rafael,.  All the grapes were hand picked.  Fermentation with periodic pump overs included three weeks of maturation on the skins.  Only 15% of the wine was aged in French oak for 8 months, with the remaining wine kept in temperature controlled stainless steel vats.  It was then aged for four additional months in bottle.  There is 7% Syrah in the blend.

Tasting Notes: A medium bodied wine with great fruit (dark fruits and a little cherry), this is lively in the mouth with good acid.  Tannins are mild, and the finish is long.  This is more edgy than smooth, and is a great food wine.  SRP of $19.99 and fairly priced there.

2020 Bianchi Oasis Sur Malbec – Grapes are from high altitude vineyards, and this wine does not see any contact with wood.  They do this to try to ensure the purest expression of the terroir.  This is 100% Malbec.

Tasting notes – the juice is a dark, reddish purple in color.  The rich nose has plum and blackberry.  It is fruit forward, full bodied and rich on the palate.  It’s also very smooth and quite long.  SRP of $15.99 and an excellent value at that price.

2020 Famiglia Bianchi Organic Malbec – Grapes here are from three certified organic vineyards, with soil compositions that provide complexity in the finished wine.  After hand harvesting, careful sorting and traditional fermentation, 10% of the wine  was aged in oak for eight months.  Another pure, 100% Malbec wine.

Tasting Notes – A dark ruby colored wine, this juice has a nose of blackberry, some cherry and currant.  You get a hint of oak.  On the palate it is medium bodied, with fine tannins and quite brisk acid.  It is a very fresh wine, and is built to go with food.  It has a long finish and the fruit persists throughout.  SRP of $24.99 and a fair price there for a quality organic wine.  The alcohol here is at 14.9%, so it is not shy, but really doesn’t seem that big.

2020 L10 Premium Malbec – This is a premium wine, with grapes from the Uco Valley, San Rafael and Agrelo.  So there are very different soils represented here.  Vineyards sit at 1300 meters above sea level.  As with every wine here, the grapes were hand picked.  Then they went under cold soak for 3-4 days, followed by malolactic fermentation.  After completing fermentation, 15% of the juice spent 8 months in French oak, the rest waited in stainless tanks.  Four months bottle aging was completed before release.

Tasting Notes – This is dark purple, with a vibrant nose of plums, spice and the typical violet aromas Malbec brings.  There is 7% Syrah in this as well.  You also get a touch of oak and definitely vanilla.  It is full bodied on the palate, with medium tannins and vibrant acidity.  This is not quite smooth yet, and I think some time in bottle will harmonize it.  The finish is very long.  Another wine which will go very well with food, such as a grilled steak, it is going to be pretty excellent overall in a few years.  This is young and a bit brawny.  SRP of $29.99.

2018 Gran Famiglia Bianchi Malbec – Another premium wine, this is made in the newer Enzo Bianchi winery in the Uco Valley.  All grapes are from the Los Chacayes area.  Vines sit at 4,265 feet above sea level, in a micro-climate maintained by the proximity to the Andes Mountains.  The specific vineyard sits on the edge of a river.  Also hand picked, this juice spent 10 months in French oak.  100% Malbec.

Tasting Notes – A dark purple red wine, it has a rich nose of plum, blackberry, violets, vanilla, caramel and raspberry jam.  It’s a big wine at 14.8% alcohol, and is 100% Malbec.  Full bodied on the palate, there is a beautiful core of fruit that gets focused by the ridge of acid running through it.  Everything is fresh and vibrant, amazingly so for such a big wine.  Tannins are medium and approachable.  This is another baby and will age effortlessly.  It’s a pretty spectacular, world class Malbec.  SRP of $29.99 and it should be twice that. This is a screaming value and a great wine to try to see what Malbec can be, without spending a lot.  It’s as good as other premium Malbecs we’ve had at 3 to 4 times the price.

2018 Particular Bianchi Malbec – This line is a favorite of ours for delivering really high quality at reasonable prices.   Grapes are from the 30 year old Finca Asti vineyards in San Rafael, about 2400 feet above sea level.  Very careful sorting is done, followed by a 4 day cold soak.  Fermentation is closely controlled over a 3 week period, after which the wine is left in contact with the must for another 10 days or so.  Twelve months in French oak barrels , followed by 10-15 days in stainless to allow the lees to precipitate out complete the process.  Once in bottle, they age it another 12 months prior to release.

Tasting Notes – This is dark and purple with red highlights.  There’s a lot of rich black plum on the nose, along with blackberry, vanilla and cocoa.  The core is all fruit.  Firm tannins, good acid and balance and a super long finish cap off an excellent wine.  This is blended with 4% Cabernet Sauvignon.  A young wine, and another which will benefit from aging, this is none the less delicious now.  SRP of $39.99 and always a good value.

2018 IV Generation Gran Malbec – Now we get to an icon wine, made at the newer facility in the Uco Valley.  This is made from a single block in the Enzo Bianchi Uco Valley vineyard, Block #12 to be exact.  Irrigated with pure snowmelt, it is 100% Malbec and checks in at 14.5% alcohol.

Tasting Notes – It is a dark wine, purplish red and vibrant.  Long legs cascade down the glass.  Aromas of black cherry, blackberry, violets, herbs, chocolate and vanilla announce an incredible complex wine.  There are some savory notes as well.  On the plate it is full bodied, rich and fresh with brisk tannins.  It is a sublimely balanced wine, with everything on a knife edge but perfectly proportioned and beautiful.  It is extremely long.  If you’ve wondered whether Malbec can be made into wines to stand with the best the world has to offer, here is your proof.  This is in another league.  SRP of $54.99, and another wine that drinks like 2 to 3 times it’s price.  Absolutely love this.  It’s a great value, and leaves us in anticipation of trying some of the others in Bianchi’s iconic wine group.

Well, that’s quite a few Malbecs, all of which were good to flat out exceptional.  None are crazy priced, and some provide spectacular value points.  Some of the best values are actually the higher priced wines, as they simply rise to levels well beyond their relatively still modest price points.  We believe in Malbec, and in Bodegas Bianchi.  We can also say we believe in Silvio, since he makes these wines.

But what of other grapes?  They do grow more than Malbec in Mendoza, and in fact these other varietals form a very important part of the region’s production.  This is especially true at Bianchi.  As Silvio explains it:

“Bianchi has a great portfolio of other varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Torrontes and Sauvignon Blanc) that we handle with the same importance as Malbec.  With these varieties, we make wines in every label and price-point. 

For us, Cabernet Sauvignon is very important.  Just as Malbec is the signature red grape of Argentina, this variety is the emblem of San Rafael.   Our terroir, on a desert plateau, often has hot days and cool nights, which are the ideal growing conditions for the Cabernet Sauvignon grape.

We make Chardonnay that can ferment either in new French oak, for creamy tones, or in stainless steel tanks, to obtain fruit concentration.   We give special attention to our Torrontes, that is grown in Cafayate Valley, to maintain its vibrant acidity, coupled with hints of fresh peach and citrus.  We pay maximum attention to all the details of the growing of our grapes and producing of our wines, because the sum of the details makes the wines great!”

You’ll find these and other varietals represented in the wines of Bodegas Bianchi.  We’ve reviewed quite a few over the past few years, and can attest to the fact that they produce more than just great Malbec.  You can read about some of them here.  This is a dynamic wine producer, firmly rooted in their family beginnings and history, but always pushing the bounds of innovation and improved quality.  Their wines represent both of these driving forces, as well as provide excellent, and in some cases, extreme value.

Famiglia Bianchi

Silvio summed up their vision for the near term future as follows:

“The philosophy of Bodegas Bianchi is to create new wines and develop new areas or terroirs.  For that reason, the family bought a new winery and vineyards in Los Chacayes, Uco Valley, now one of the most important terroirs in Argentina.  This is the family’s first venture outside San Rafael.  The relatively small Enzo Bianchi winery allows us to study each lot separately, with the information enabling us to make the best decisions on which lots have the right grapes for each wine we make.

With the grapes from this new region, we are making two new wines, IV Generacion Malbec and IV Generacion Gran Corte.  Both wines are showing the best characteristics of Los Chacayes: incredible color, a very good balance between fruit, herbs, spice and mineral notes in the nose and mouth, and exquisite mouthfeel with sturdy tannins.  These tannins are, in my opinion, one of the best notes in the wines from Los Chacayes.  The soil in Los Chacayes has a lot of rocks of different sizes, with some plots containing sand.  Los Chacayes is the perfect soil for growing the grapes for these unique wines.  I am very much enjoying the opportunity to make wines from two of the most interesting sub-regions of Mendoza.”

It’s going to be very interesting to see what Silvio and Bodegas Bianchi come up with in the years ahead.  They’ve already set the bar pretty high.  First reports on the 2021 vintage are excellent, despite some weather challenges and a much later harvest than in 2020.

You can read much more about Bodegas Bianchi and their different wines on their website: https://bodegasbianchi.com/.

A votre santé!

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