Las Estelas 'Leticia' Cabernet Cabernet 2021

Leticia Cabernet Cabernet is a blend of 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon made by Estela Perinetti at her family vineyard – Finca Mangato. It is a very complete and satisfying wine with red fruit notes, redcurrant along with darker cassis and mulberry fruit notes. It is herbaceous and pretty on the nose with floral notes, graphite notes and gentle spice. There is a real attention to detail here with not only the choice of blend but by co-fermenting 70% of the Cabernet Sauvignon with the Cabernet Franc and ageing the remaining 30% of Cabernet Sauvignon for nine months in 2nd use French oak. There must be something in the 70/30 thing.

Finca Mangato is a vineyard that was originally planted with Semillon in the early 1940’s by Dr. Hector Perinetti, the son of an Italian immigrant. The Semillon was grubbed up by Estela, Hectors granddaughter in the 1990’s and planted with the red varieties of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah. After planting the vineyard, Estela went on to established herself as one of Argentina’s greatest wine makers through her work with Bodegas Catena Zapata and Bodegas CARO. Finca Mangato has always been her baby and she has now returned to the vineyard full time and the Las Estelas wines are the result of her foresight to replant them thirty years ago and her extensive winemaking knowledge.