Riccitelli 2023 “Kung Fu” Malbec

PRODUCER INFO

• Matías Riccitelli started his boutique winery in 2009, located in Las Compuertas at 1100 meters above sea level. It is the highest area of Lujan de Cuyo, and here he tends 20 hectares of ungrafted old vineyards. Matías also works with small, independent growers that own their lands at the bottom of the Andes halfway between 1000 and 1700 meters above sea level – in Gualtallary, Chacayes, Altamira and La Carrera.
• All harvests are conducted by hand and fermentation takes place in small concrete vats and concrete eggs. Purity and delicacy in winemaking are prized by Matías and great care is taken in preserving the fruit’s singularity in order to obtain vibrant wines.

ABOUT THE WINE

• Kung Fu was born of Riccitelli’s desire to make wines with minimal intervention, which express the high altitude Gualtallary terroir to the fullest. They work to rescue old elaborations, using noble materials that interact with the environment such as concrete, clay and oak for various uses.
• Fruit comes from organically grown vineyards, manually harvested in small boxes. Fermentation is spontaneous with indigenous yeasts. Bottled without filtering, without clarifying or adding sulfites.
• Malbec from the high altitude vineyards of the IG Gualtallary, Uco Valley located at 1,400 meters above sea level where calcareous soils predominate.

Vintage: 2023 | Wine Type: Malbec
Varietal: Malbec
Origin: Argentina | Appellation:  Gualtallary, Uco Valley
Elaboration: Grapes arrive naturally by gravity into small concrete eggs where fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts at temperatures between 24° and 26°C, 50% whole bunch and 50% destemmed. Aging continues in concrete eggs for 8 months. After this, the wines are bottled without added sulfites, without clarifying, and without stabilizing.
Winemaker: Matias Riccitelli

TASTING NOTES

A mouthful of a Malbec, strong black fruit flavor, dense texture and a juicy finish. Pepper and herbs in black cherry and plum sauce with chalky tannins.

TECHNICAL DATA

Production:  5000 cases | Alcohol: 14% | TA:  g/l | RS:  2.5 g/l | pH:  3.6/5.9 

PRESS & POINTS

2022 – 94 Points, James Suckling
2021 – 93 Points, James Suckling
2021 – 94 Points, Patricio Tapia – Descorchados