Clos De Los Siete, Val De Uco, Mendoza, Argentina
January 15, 2024
Michel Rolland grew up in the family’s estate Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol in Bordeaux. He attended the School of Viticulture and Oenology at La Tour Blanch and the University of Bordeaux. He is considered by many to be the first “Flying Winemaker” and is probably the most famous winemaker in the world.
He honed his skills at his family’s properties – Château Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol, Château Rolland-Maillet in St-Émilion, and Château Bertineau St-Vincent in Lalande de Pomerol.
He has worked with over 150 wineries across 13 countries, including Washington’s own Long Shadows. The Long Shadows Pedestal Merlot is a benchmark for Washington wine. In Napa the wines he helped create – Harlan Estate, Bryant Family, Dalle Valle Maya – command prices above $500, with best vintages exceeding the $1000 mark!
Clos de los Siete is his project in the Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina. In 1999, he discovered a plot of land located at the foot of the Andes Mountains that he thought had the potential to produce world-class wine. He partnered with six French expats and created the vineyard of 7, Clos de los Siete.
An assemblage of four estate vineyards – Monteviejo, DiamAndes, Cuvelier los Andes and Bodega Rolland. The grapes are hand-harvested and sorted. The wine is matured for 11 months in French oak and bottled unfined and unfiltered. The finished wines are then blended by Rolland to create the Clos de los Siete Blend.
The 2019 Clos de Los Siete is a great example of a tricky but ultimately very good vintage. An especially cool dry vintage resulted in lower yields, smaller berries, and a high skin-to-must ratio resulting in highly concentrated wines with great color. The cool dry weather reveals great density and higher acidity. A warm march allowed for full phenolic development and an easy harvest.
Deep dark in the glass revealing plenty of age-worthiness. Aromas of ripe black fruit, cocoa, and tobacco. Hints of graphite and vanilla. Ripe, plush, and silky. Fully integrated tannins and refreshing acidity. Elegant and structured for the long haul, but crushable now. The wine is 50% Malbec, 24% Merlot, 11% Syrah, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot.
This is a “blue chip” stock. The C7 has consistently received 90-plus point scores from across wine publications for the last 20 years. The wine retails for around $20 – $25 and represents one of the best values available. This is a wine that you can buy a case of and comfortably cellar for 10 years, that is at a price you won’t be afraid to open when the opportunity arises.
Pair with everything from Beef Wellington to Bacon Cheese Burgers. Roasted Root Vegetables. Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter. Beef Fajitas. Lamb Barbacoa.