La Linda: Taste the terroir of Mendoza.
Recently we got an opportunity to taste the wines of La Linda. La Linda is a sub-brand of the Argentinian winery Luigi Bosca, established in Mendoza. Maria Ines Pina, who is Area Manager Europe of Luigi Bosca, explained in an inspiring manner the new image of La Linda. The focus of La Linda is on appreciating the small things in life, e.g., drinking wine with family and friends, thus appreciating “the beauty of simple things”.
The Brand
As mentioned earlier is La Linda a sub-brand of Luigi Bosca. Luigi Bosca started in 1901 and is nowadays one of Argentina’s most renowned brands with a rich heritage and a great reputation for quality wines. To be more precise, it is located in Mendoza which is widely considered the most important wine region of Argentina. Which is due to Mendoza’s wine production as it accounts for almost two-thirds of the whole production in Argentina. Mendoza exists of two important sub regions called Luján de Cuyo and Valle de Uco, a total of 160.000 ha.
The vineyards of La Linda are situated in both subregions at the foothills resulting in higher altitudes. The location is magnificent as they are surrounded by the mountains. Which is the perfect setting of producing fresh and fruity wines.
The new image of La Linda is designed to represent the area of Mendoza and their nature, that is according to Maria Ines Pina an evolution. At first, the logo reflects the top of the Andes mountains, accompanied by the sun which reflect the warm climate and the symbol of the local flower called Jarilla. Next to that, Luigi wanted to reconnect wines with its terroir. Therefore, the decision is made to produce fresh, fruity and straight-forward wines which reflect the typical characteristics of the grape varieties used in their portfolio. Their portfolio includes both red and white wines made of Chardonnay, Torrontés, Viognier, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.
The winemaker of La Linda, Belén Rodriguez, stated that their wines are “distinguished by being expressive, balanced and fruity: they are straight-forward, easy-going and accessible wines”. They strive to express terroir and Mendoza’s altitude while maintaining the philosophy of Luigi Bosca.
The Wines
After getting familiar with the philosophy of La Linda it was time to explore their wines. The wines are all fermented in stainless steel tanks to focus on the fruity characteristics of the wines, where Belén is seeking for. The selection tasted included five wines, below the scores followed by a short review per wine are explained.
- La Linda Torrontés 2022
- La Linda Chardonnay 2022
- La Linda Red Blend 2022
- La Linda Malbec 2022
- La Linda Malbec Old Vines 2021
La Linda Torrontés 2022 – 86 point DWA score
This pale-yellow white wine is made from 100% Torrontes grapes. The smell already suspect that we are going to taste fresh and dusty wine. Refined aromas of apple and pear accompanied by a little bit of rose scents and Lavender. On the palate it is fresh and very accessible, where peach can be detected. The beautiful acidity is perfectly proportioned and very well balanced with a 14% abv. Along with it the floral character that belongs to Torrontès. The finish is refreshing due to the citrus noted. A very pleasant, tasty wine.
La Linda Chardonnay 2022 – 82 point DWA score
This wine is made using grapes grown in 30-year-old vineyards average, located in Luján de Cuyo and Maipú, Mendoza, at an average altitude of 960 meters leading to natural and refreshing acidities. the winemaker decides to not make use of oak due to the focus on the primary fruit aromas. The 13.5% abv wine has aromas of pear and apricot with a hint of mint. Higher refreshing acidities accompanied by a finish of citrus and mint are typical for this wine.
La Linda Red Blend 2022 – 82 point DWA score
This blend consists of two grape varieties: Malbec (60%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%). The vineyards are located in Maipú and Luján de Cuyo, at an average altitude of 960 meters. The wine has a red purplish colour with ruby tones. The Cabernet Sauvignon adds extra flavours of black fruits, such as black cherry and black berry. Besides the red and black fruit aromas displaying also herbal and spicy notes such as backing spices are typical for this wine. when drinking it flows easily through the mouth due to the juicy texture. It has a medium finish.
La Linda Malbec 2022 – 82 point DWA score
La Linda Malbec Made using grapes grown in 30-year-old vineyards, located in Luján de Cuyo, at an average altitude of 960 meters. The glass will be filled with a red wine of purplish red color, bright, with very expressive aromas reminiscent of red fruit such as cherry, plum and cassis. The mouth will be filled with soften tannins and surprising tones of rose accompanied by spiciness can be found. The higher alcohol percentage of 14% does not result in a burning feeling. However, this wine is in balance but not really complex.
La Linda Malbec Old Vines 2021 – 86 point DWA score
This wine is special as this is the only one where a bit of oak is used. Also, these vines are located in Luján de Cuyo, at an altitude of almost 1.000 meters. The wine has a purple-red color with 14% abv. In the bouquet, notes of flowers, red fruit, and a gentle hint of vanilla can be detected. The wine has more complexity compared to the others as both juiciness due to the riper red berries components and power because of licorice notes are found. There is a good balance of tannins and acidity, whereas the finish is rich as all the components come together.
Conclusion
It was an honor to be part of exploring the new image of La Linda. Overall, the La Linda wines definitely are in line with their philosophy, as they reflect all the typical characteristics of the grape varieties. They are straight-forward and not too complex. The image is combined with a beautiful story and a thought-full design of the logo.
Let us all appreciate the small things in life and enjoy!
This event was covered for Dutch Wine Apprentice by Judi Veldwijk and organized by Pitch PR and Walraven-Sax, who are the local importers of La Linda. Pictures courtesy of Frances Stefanie and Judi Veldwijk.
