After this morning’s offer, you know Carmelo Patti sits comfortably alongside the world’s most rigorously artisanal, old school producers. Now, with his Gran Assemblage, we see just how singularly talented he is. This is Carmelo’s top wine, a co-fermented selection of the best and oldest vines in Carmelo’s beloved Perdriel. And it’s ready to defy every expectation you have about Mendoza. Picture deep, soil-driven, pre-modern Bordeaux–with a dash of South American generosity–and you’re close to imagining what’s contained within. It’s ready to go with close to a decade of age already on it, but it’s also a showpiece to place alongside your cellar’s most important bottles of Rioja and Bordeaux. If, like so many collectors, you’re not convinced of Mendoza’s capacity for greatness, grab some “Gran Assemblage” to grasp the power of Carmelo Patti!
The “Gran Assemblage” comes from the oldest vines Carmelo works with, and represents Mendoza’s long history with Bordelaise varieties. The Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Cabernet Franc that Patti fans are familiar with show up here too, but with the addition of Merlot and Petit Verdot. Despite it hailing from Argentina, it’s hard not to think of “Gran Assemblage” as something like a window into Bordeaux’s past. The fruit is all picked at once and co-fermented, with only indigenous yeast and without temperature control. It gets fermented in concrete and then aged entirely in very old barrels. In all likelihood, this was how great Bordeaux was made before the advent of industrial winemaking technology.
Of course–perhaps as a result of Carmelo’s decision to downplay varietal individuality–“Gran Assemblage” sings with the indelible mark of Mendoza terroir. All of the fruit comes from the tiny area known as Perdriel, a subzone of Luján de Cuyo. Perdriel may have the most dramatic growing conditions in Mendoza. Many of the vines here, including those in “Gran Assemblage” are own-rooted. Perdriel is located in the rain shadow of the Andes mountain, meaning the vines essentially grow in desert-like conditions. Irrigation is rarely used here and what little water the vines see actually comes from snowmelt off the Andes. Extreme elevations of over 3100 feet mean intense solar radiation during the day and precipitous temperature drops at night. The soils here are marked by the lowest concentration of organic matter in Mendoza, meaning vines need to plunge their roots as deep as possible to find the necessary nutrition. It all adds up to fruit that’s incredibly concentrated, singing with both richness and freshness.
Simply put, “Gran Assemblage” is a soaring testament to the beauty of Mendoza. At nine years old, it’s just rounding the corner into its prime drinking window; if you’re going to drink now, give it a good, long decant. The nose is dark and brooding, a mixture of plummy richness, dark cherry liqueur, peppercorn spice. There’s savory dried leather, cigar box, dusty earth, alongside an edge of dried rose petals and violets. On the palate it’s dense and powerful, thrumming with earth and minerality, tannins calling out for a rich dish or years in your cellar. Dense and powerful, it also sings with the sort of briskness you see in top high elevation sites. It’s suave yet undeniably artisanal in its savor, and it’s frankly unlike any Argentinian wine you’ll find from anyone else. Don’t miss out on it.
