We can be fairly condescending when it comes to the 100-point scale. How can you reduce a wine, the project of a year's hard labour in the vineyard and in the winery, into a single numerical value? It's preposterous! Well, it's preposterous until one of the wines you sell gets the mythical 100-points and all of a sudden it's not so preposterous after all. It's the ultimate celebration of brilliance, a paean to perfection!

The reason why we rarely find ourselves stroking precious bottles of 100-point wines chez Vin Cognito is because they are usually awarded to classic wines with long track records, more often than not from Bordeaux, Napa or Tuscany, and, in order to receive an allocation, wine merchants have to have been buying the wines since the days when they paid in farthings. Our only chance of laying our hands on such wines is for us to be there at the B of the Bang and we couldn't be more excited to offer you a brand new wine from Argentina, which has hit the bullseye with its debut vintage.

It's a fabulous Malbec, for people who have grown tired of Malbec! Well, at least the over-extracted, over-oaked Malbecs that have been pouring out of Argentina since the turn of the century. This is more classically-proportioned with 13.5% alc (it's no longer atypical for Argentine Malbec to hit 15.5% alc), coming from a tiny, single-hectare, organic vineyard based on limestone soil, which confers a 'European' coolness and elegance to the fruit, reminiscent of a Margaux, allowing Malbecs delicate, floral grace notes - the very thing that drew people to Malbec in the first place - to shine instead of being pummelled by woody flavours.

Jardin de Hormigas is a joint venture between Alberto Antonini, Antonio Morescalchi and Pedro Parra from Altos Las Hormigas. Their biodynamic and organic approach in the vineyard, as well as minimal intervention in the winery, ensure that the wine is a true expression of its place of origin. Alberto had a clear vision when sourcing this special plot: to create an ecosystem first, with a vineyard in it second, maintaining the balance of plants, animals and fungi as the priority long before a single grape was picked. I think the 100-points can be attributed to the success of that noble mission!

Reviews:

Tim Atkin MW: "This stunning Malbec comes from a one-hectare plot that viticulturist Pedro Parra justifiably describes as a Grand Cru. Scented and alluring, with rose petal and violet top notes, pure raspberry, wild strawberry and pomegranate flavours, layered tannins, very little oak and a finish that lingers like the last note of a great string quartet. Stunning. Drink 2024-2032." 100 points

The Wine Advocate: "The new top-of-the-range 2021 Jardín de Hormigas 'Los Amantes' was produced with organic grapes from plot number 15 in their Jardín Altamira property, 1.2 hectares where there are some 80 centimetres of topsoil rich in silt that gives the balance between meat and bones and then big granite rocks with limestone, the big bones. The big bones require a little more meat, so a little more soil... It fermented with 15% whole clusters and indigenous yeasts and matured in untoasted 3,500-litre French oak foudres for 15 months. It has 13.5% alcohol and keeps very good freshness and balance. This felt very different from the Appellation Altamira (which was also from a different vintage), more aromatic, with lots of flowers, with lots of layers and personality, which is impressive for vines planted in 2017. Place before age... It's balanced and expressive, with very fine tannins and a dry finish. The place even before the variety... It's elegant and ethereal with grip from the chalky tannins. It's impressive how noble the variety is and how the young vines can produce a wine with this depth. SUPER ELEGANT. A great debut! 4,300 bottles were filled. Drink now-2034." 98 points

EXTREMELY LIMITED. MAXIMUM 1 BOTTLE PER CUSTOMER. NOT AVAILABLE ON ITS OWN, MUST BE PART OF AN ORDER THAT MEETS OUR MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF 6 BOTTLES. UK MAINLAND ONLY.