Bodega Tapiz Seleccion de Barricas 2014 Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 75cl

Seleccion de Barricas is Bodega Tapiz’s barrel-selection red, a wine drawn from the parcels and casks the team judges most complete in a given year. It brings together the classic Uco Valley varieties in a blend built for structure and ageing, and stands among the winery’s more serious offerings.

The 2014 combines Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a little Syrah, each contributing to a layered whole. Malbec lends flesh and dark fruit, the Cabernets bring backbone and cassis, Merlot softens the middle and Syrah adds a savoury, peppery edge. High-altitude fruit keeps the freshness that stops a wine of this weight turning heavy.

With more than a decade in bottle, this is a red showing its mature side, the primary fruit now joined by developed, tertiary character. Age has softened the tannins and drawn the many components together into a more seamless whole.

Expect an intense red colour and aromas of blackberry, cassis and dried plum, threaded with cedar, coffee and chocolate from oak. It is full and complex on the palate, the tannins resolved and the finish long, the sort of wine that unfolds over an evening rather than showing everything at once. A short decant helps it open.

Rated 91 points, it is a red for the table, at its best with roast lamb, braised beef or a board of aged, hard cheese. If you enjoy a mature Bordeaux-style blend, this high-altitude Argentine take offers that character with a few years already behind it. There is enough here to reward keeping a bottle for a special meal, though it is ready to enjoy today.