BenMarco Expresivo

Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza

Tasting Notes

Gualtallary is recognized for its calcareous alluvial soils, and BenMarco Expresivo is the utmost expression of its typicity. It is a lineal, fresh wine with aromas of blackberries, pepper tree and violets that perfectly complement its mineral notes, its balanced natural acidity and its firm tannins. Besides, it has great aging potential.

Red meats, roasted pork tenderloin, hard cheeses and cream-based sauces.

Hand-selected grapes. Destemming and soft crushing. Either a delestage or a push-down per day combined with pump-overs. Cold maceration for four days. Fermentation at a maximum temperature of 30°C (86°F) with wild yeasts.

Aged 14 months in French oak barrels (70% new, 30% second-use).

Grapes are grown in Gualtallary, Uco Valley at an elevation of 1,300 m (4,265 ft) Gualtallary is well-known for its chalky alluvial soils which allow adequate water drainage.

Varietals: 85% Malbec, 15% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol: 14.5%
Acidity: 5.6 g/L

Tasting Notes

Gualtallary is recognized for its calcareous alluvial soils. As a result, BenMarco Expresivo is a lineal, fresh wine, with aromas of blackberries, pepper tree and violets. It stands out for its mineral notes, balanced natural acidity and firm tannins. It has a great aging potential.

Red meats, roasted pork tenderloin, hard cheeses and most cream-based sauces.

Hand-selected grapes. Destemming and soft crushing. Either one delestage or one push-down per day, combined with pump-overs. Cold maceration for four days. Fermentation at 30°C (86°F) maximum with wild yeasts. 14 months in French oak barrels (70% new, 30% second-use).

Grapes are grown in Gualtallary, Uco Valley at an elevation of 1,300 m (4,265 ft) Gualtallary is well-known for its chalky alluvial soils which allow adequate water drainage.

Varietals: 85% Malbec, 15% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol 14.5%
acidity 5.6 g/L

Tasting Notes

Gualtallary is recognized for its calcareous alluvial soils. As a result, BenMarco Expresivo is a lineal, fresh wine, with aromas of blackberries, pepper tree and violets. It stands out for its mineral notes, balanced natural acidity and firm tannins. Great aging potential.

Red meats, roasted pork tenderloin, hard cheeses and most cream-based sauces.

Hand-selected grapes. Destemming and soft crushing. Either one delestage or one push-down per day, combined with pump-overs. Cold maceration for four days. Fermentation at 30°C (86°F) maximum with wild yeasts. 14 months in French oak barrels (70% new, 30% second-use).

Grapes are grown in Gualtallary, Uco Valley at an elevation of 1,285 m (4,216 ft) Gualtallary is well-known for its chalky alluvial soils which allow adequate water drainage.

Varietals: 82% Malbec, 18% Cabernet Franc
Alcohol 14%
acidity 5.8 g/L

Tasting Notes

Gualtallary is recognized for its calcareous alluvial soils. As a result, BenMarco Expresivo is a lineal, fresh wine, with aromas of blackberries and violets. It stands out for its mineral notes, balanced natural acidity and firm tannins. Great aging potential.

Red meats, roasted pork tenderloin, hard cheeses and most cream-based sauces.

Grapes hand-selected. Destemming and soft crushing. Either one delestage or one push-down per day, combined with pump-overs. Cold maceration for four days. Fermentation at 30°C (82°F) maximum. Aging: 14 months, in French oak barrels (70% new, 30% second-use).

Grapes are grown in Gualtallary, Uco Valley at an elevation of 1,285 m (4,216 ft) Gualtallary is well-known for its chalky alluvial soils which allow adequate water drainage.

Blend is 85% Malbec, 15% Cabernet Franc Alcohol 14.3%; acidity 5.9 g/L.

Tasting Notes

Gualtallary is well-known for its chalky alluvial soils which allow adequate water drainage. The result in BenMarco Expresivo, is a wine with deep, bright ruby color. It has chalk, earthy, floral, peppercorn tree fruits notes. It is a vertical wine with ultra-fine grained tannins, long after taste and great aging potential.

Grilled meats, veal, medium-strong cheeses and spicy sauces.

Hand picked, destemmed, lightly crushed. One delestage & one pillage daily, combined with pump overs.  Max. Temp. 30º C. Extended maceration 40 days. Aging: 14 months in 100 % new French oak barrels

Grapes are grown in Gualtallary, Uco Valley at an elevation of 1,285 m (4,216 ft) Gualtallary is well-known for its chalky alluvial soils which allow adequate water drainage.

Blend is 80% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Franc. Alcohol 14.3%; acidity 6.1 g/L.

DOWNLOAD

Enjoy the downloadable assets for this wine below.

  • 90

    points

    Wine Enthusiast, July 2023

    "As the name suggests, this wine is expressive. Coming from vineyards in Gualtallary, this has a nose of black fruit and nutmeg, with a touch of salt. The palate is savory, exhibiting intense plum and fig flavors. A hint of black olive adds to its complexity. Soft tannins provide enough support to this full-bodied red."

    Close Review

    Read Full Review

  • 94

    points

    Tim Atkin, June 2022

    "Expresivo is the top red under the BenMarco label, produced from a marriage of Malbec and 15% Cabernet Franc. Showing the classic rosemary and wild thyme scents of Gualtallary, this is wonderfully focused and poised, with chalky intensity, layers of plum and blackberry fruit and a hint of graphite on the finish. 2024-32"

    Close Review

    Read Full Review

  • 96

    points

    James Suckling, March 2022

    "A nuanced but deep nose, showing crushed stones, fresh and glossy blackberries and blueberries, then flowers, asphalt, cocoa powder and chalk. Broad, exuberant and concentrated, but not at all heavy. This is juicy and so polished and dense, with silky, chalky tannins to coat the blueberry fruit. Fleshy, tight and seamless. Long and so seductive now. 85% malbec and 15% cabernet franc. Vegan. Drink or hold."

    Close Review

    Read Full Review

  • 94

    points

    James Suckling, April 2021

    "Blackberries, violets and chalk on the nose with hints of sea-salt flakes. Medium-bodied with tight, chewy tannins that are lively and fresh. Some savory character to the pretty fruit at the finish. Drink or hold."

    Close Review

    Read Full Review

  • 94

    points

    Tim Atkin, April 2021

    ""

    Close Review

    Read Full Review

  • 93+

    Points

    Wine Advocate, March 2021

    "The modern, clean and floral 2018 BenMarco Expresivo is a blend of 85% Malbec and 15% Cabernet Franc from Gualtallary with an élevage in barriques, 70% of them new, for 14 months. It's only faintly oaky and reveals good freshness and fine-grained tannins. 60,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in August 2019."

    Close Review

    Read Full Review

  • 94

    Points

    Tim Atkin, April 2021

    ""

    Close Review

    Read Full Review

  • 95

    Points

    James Suckling, April 2020

    "A beautiful, creamy red with blackberry and cherry aromas and flavors. Medium to full body. Polished, caressing tannins. Persistent finish. Always dialed-in. Drink or hold."

    Close Review

    Read Full Review

  • 92+

    Points

    Vinous, September 2019

    "Bright, dark ruby-red. Aromas of black raspberry, plum and licorice are lifted by floral and sexy oak notes and complemented by a touch of chocolatey ripeness, with a subtle leafy quality emerging with air. A step up in richness and sweetness from the Malbec if a bit more brooding and serious in the early going. If this wine does not yet display the subtle complexity of the 2017 Cabernet, it already stands out for its sexy use of new oak, smooth texture and tangy salty minerality. The palate-staining, taste bud-titillating finish is stylish, suavely tannic and very long, with terrific mineral grip. (Incidentally, a second sample showed similar components but they were far more knit, and this bottle more clearly displayed the Cabernet Franc component in its tobacco leaf and black pepper notes. I can see this wine going on for at least another decade.) (14.5% alcohol; from 17-year-old vines in Finca Dominio Gualta, just below Catena's Adrianna Vineyard in Gualtallary, cropped at about 2.5 tons per acre; aged in 100% new oak)"

    Close Review

    Read Full Review

  • 95

    Points

    James Suckling, March 2019

    "A blend of malbec and cabernet franc, this red shows depth and focus with tightness and beauty. Full-bodied and very tight with some tar and asphalt. Very long and compact. Needs a year or two of bottle age. Try after 2021."

    Close Review

    Read Full Review

TRADE & MEDIA ASSETS /////////////////

2021 BenMarco Expresivo – Tasting Note

2020 BenMarco Expresivo – 90 points, Wine Enthusiast – Shelftalker

2020 BenMarco Expresivo – 90 points, Wine Enthusiast – Sell Sheet

2020 BenMarco Expresivo – 96 points, James Suckling – Sales Sheet

2020 BenMarco Expresivo – 96 points, James Suckling – Shelftalker

2020 BenMarco Expresivo – 94 points, Tim Atkin – Sales Sheet

2020 BenMarco Expresivo – 94 points, Tim Atkin – Shelftalker

BenMarco Expresivo – Non-Vintage – Label – New Design

2020 BenMarco Expresivo – Tasting Note

BenMarco Expresivo – Non-Vintage – Bottle – New Label

2019 BenMarco Expresivo – Tasting Note

2018 BenMarco Expresivo – Tasting Note

2018 BenMarco Expresivo – Label

2017 BenMarco Expresivo – Label

BenMarco Expresivo – Bottle – Old Design

2017 BenMarco Expresivo – Tasting Note

2018 BenMarco Wine Advocate reviews 7-18 Sales Sheet

Our Brands Brand Assets Inside Folio News & Media Contact Us Wine Locator Account Login

550 Gateway Drive, Suite 220 | Napa, CA 94558 | 707.256.2700

Must be 21 years or older to enter this site.

©2023, Folio Fine Wine Partners. All Rights Reserved.

By visiting this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy