Vintage Character 2022 was a roller-coaster year in Mendoza, with two big frosts, but the surviving fruit gave wines with optimal acidity and great concentration. Polyphenols ripened well while alcohol levels stayed just right, not too high. In 2022, the Estate Merlot from Pulenta Estate reflects that season. Pulenta Estate Merlot is a varietal red from Mendoza, where sunshine gives round, ripe fruit. Mendoza sits at the foot of the Andes, and its high-altitude vineyards enjoy sunny days and cool nights. Luján de Cuyo, where Pulenta has its estate, is long associated with perfumed, elegant Malbec.
Tasting Profile & Food Pairing Plum, black cherry and blackcurrant lead, with cocoa and soft spice. It is dry, medium-to-full-bodied, with medium-high acidity and medium-high tannins. The palate is full and round, with soft tannins and a smooth finish. With age it can show tobacco and leather. Roast pork, braised beef and mushroom dishes suit it. Serve at about 16 to 18 degrees Celsius in a wide glass, and decant a young bottle for a short time if you like. Merlot gives plush, round fruit and softer tannins, and it is the leading grape of Pomerol and the Right Bank. Firm cheeses such as Comté also work, as do soy-braised dishes that are not too sweet. A wine of this weight rewards a few minutes in the glass, when the fruit settles and the spice and savoury notes come forward.
Winery Background Pulenta Estate was founded in 2002 by the brothers Eduardo and Hugo Pulenta, from a family with generations in Argentine winegrowing. The estate is in Alto Agrelo in Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, at about 980 metres above sea level on the La Zulema vineyard. The aim was to make limited series of high-quality wines that show the varieties and terroirs of Mendoza. The brothers say they built the winery on the legacy of their grandfather and the experience of their father.