A black color backed by smoky aromas of blackberry, cassis, black olive and raw oak open this burly Bordeaux-style blend. Oak-based tannins make for a palate with resiny grab, while this is packed with toasty blackberry and herbal flavors. On the finish, this simmers with heat and oak before slipping away. Drink through 2026.

If prizes are being given out for the great blends of Argentina, Privada certainly makes the podium. A mixture of 40% Malbec, 30% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon from Luján de Cuyo, this is a mature, fragrant red with a nose of plum jam, pepper and blueberry. Substantial and expressive on the palate, its flow is slow, sweet and voluminous, managing to create a sensation that is both delicate and intense at the same time. The aftertaste is fruity and impactful. A jewel among Bordeaux-style Argentine wines.

The 2017 Privada Family Blend is a blend of 40% Malbec and 30% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from their vineyards in Luján de Cuyo. It's a classical and traditional barrel-aged red blend with a little less alcohol and some more freshness in the palate, as they harvested a little earlier. The varieties fermented and matured separately, and the blend was done after the time in oak. 250,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in December 2018.

Plush at first, with refined red currant, sour cherry and tar flavors, supported by firm acidity and tannins. Bakers' chocolate notes and hints of freshly ground pepper show on the finish. Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2024. 20,000 cases made, 10,000 cases imported.