BODEGA ROLLAND | Yacochuya | 2018
malbec

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The story of Yacochuya is one of love at first sight. In 1988, the legendary ‘flying winemaker’ Michel Rolland was invited to Argentina by the historic Etchart family to consult in the Calchaquí Valley. There, in Cafayate, he discovered a viticultural paradise in the high-altitude desert of the Andes foothills. Convinced they could produce an outstanding wine that would express the soul of this extreme terroir, Michel Rolland partnered with the Etchart family to create the Bodega Rolland.
Today we are going to review a wine that requires no introduction, as this is a true classic – a genuine, high-altitude malbec wine from Salta, Argentina – Yacochuya 2018 by Bodega Rolland. Known for its plump, dark fruit flavors and smoky finish, malbec wines have been adored for centuries, especially by the royal houses of England and Russia. With elegant notes of blueberry, plum, tobacco and hints of violets, modern malbec offers a great alternative to its higher priced siblings (merlot, cabernet sauvignon or syrah). Although the malbec grape variety originated in the famous Cahors region of France, Argentina proved that there’s more to malbec than just value, as it can offer an unmatched complexity and elegance, if produced in an expressive new-world style, with a nuanced and juicy, fruit-forward character.

This wine is a pure and powerful expression of the malbec grape variety, which has a dramatic history, as it was nearly wiped out by phylloxera in the 19th century, but luckily found a new home in the high-altitude deserts of Argentina. The grapes for this wine are sourced from 70 years old vines, planted at a staggering 2,035 meters above sea level in the Cafayate sub-region of Salta wine region. To preserve freshness in this dessert-influenced climate, grapes are harvested by hand only at night. Fermentation occurs in small tanks, followed by malolactic conversion in new french oak barrels. The final wine is then aged for 18 months in small 225L french oak barrels (from which 75% new oak and 25% barrels at second and third use), with additional bottle ageing time before it was deemed ready for the market release. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration, capturing the raw, untamed essence of the malbec grape variety.

The North – Argentina’s high-altitude frontier – is a land of extremes, where viticulture unfolds at some of the highest elevations on Earth. Here, vines cling to the Calchaquí Valleys – a dramatic landscape of rugged mountains, blazing sun, and thin air. With vineyards planted between 750m and over 3350m above sea level, this region defines high-altitude winemaking, producing grapes of unparalleled intensity and character. The climate is arid and desert-like, marked by scorching days and cool, starlit nights, creating one of the widest diurnal temperature ranges found anywhere in viticulture. The resulting stress on the vines yields small, thick-skinned berries packed with concentrated color, aroma, and flavor. The soils, mostly sandy and sandy-loam, with excellent drainage and low fertility, enhance concentration.

Salta sub-region is home to some of the most breathtaking vineyards on the planet. Centered around the Calchaquí Valleys, this small winegrowing area combines altitude, aridity, and luminosity to craft wines of extraordinary aromatic power and finesse. The Cafayate Valley is the epicenter of Salta’s viticulture, concentrating roughly three-quarters of the province’s vineyards. Its hot, sun-drenched days and cool nights create an exceptional thermal amplitude that ensures full phenolic ripeness while preserving freshness and acidity. The deep, sandy soils ensure excellent drainage and encourage the development of fine, silky tannins. Salta’s wines are bold yet graceful, marked by striking aromatic complexity. Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon are the region’s star varieties, while Tannat also thrives in the dry heat, producing robust, spicy wines of depth and longevity. Few regions in the world combine such drama of landscape and purity of expression as Salta.

color: very deep & opaque ruby color
clarity: hazy & noble ruby shades at the rim

In the glass, the wine presents a very deep and opaque ruby color, almost impenetrable at its core. This profound intensity is framed by hazy ruby shades at the rim, hinting at its concentration and power.

intensity: pronounced & expressive
fruit character: ripe & overripe

The aromatic profile is pronounced and incredibly expressive, defined by a ripe to overripe fruit character. The foreground is a powerful chorus of dark fruits, with notes of dark cherry, black plum, cassis, and blackberry, which verge on the intensity of black cherry jam and nuances of aronia berry. This fruit core is seamlessly interwoven with generous oak influences of toasted wood, sweet tobacco, and a hint of licorice. As the wine breathes, a complex background emerges, revealing layers of spice – think nutmeg, peppercorn, cloves, and anise, alongside a distinctly earthy and mineral streak of pencil lead, crushed granite, and charcoal. Tying it all together is a very delicate and elegant floral hint of violets, adding a touch of finesse to its formidable power.

sweetness: dry | acidity: high | alcohol: high | tannin: high | balance: fine
finish: long | aftertaste: seedy & crisp

On the palate, this wine is a textbook expression of modern argentinean Malbec, masterfully balancing power and nuance. It feels fruity-expressive, bold, and firm, with a complex and impeccably structured mouthfeel. The attack is dry, followed by an exuberant acidity that lends vibrancy and freshness – a hallmark of its high-altitude origins. The alcoholic warmth is very well integrated, adding to the wine’s full body without any hint of heat. The tannins are ripe, grippy, and pleasantly seedy, coating the palate with a firm yet refined grip that defines its texture. All this leads to a long and persistent finish that concludes with a memorable crisp and seedy aftertaste, leaving an impression of both, richness and structure.

maturity: developing | drink now or in the next 3 years
verdict: excellent | a reference wine | a wine that can reach into the realm of perfection

Overall, this is a remarkably rich and crisp Malbec wine that showcases an incredible multi-layered and complex profile – the epitome of a modern, high-altitude Malbec wine, one that masterfully combines the powerful footprint of its local terroir with the rich fruit expression of the grape variety. While the use of oak is generous, it is well-integrated, complementing the wine’s bold palate and contributing to an appealing touch of phenolic bitterness. The wine is almost in its prime, offering immense pleasure today, yet it possesses the structure to evolve and gain further complexity and aromatic sophistication over the next 4 to 5 years. This is a wine of excellence and a benchmark for its style that delivers an unmatched expression of a high-altitude, old-vine argentinean Malbec.

Given its bold structure, rich fruit, and subtle earthy complexity, this wine demands a dish of equal stature. Consider pairing it with a slow-roasted patagonian lamb shoulder seasoned with rosemary and garlic. The wine’s powerful tannins and exuberant acidity will cut through the richness of the lamb, creating a lovely contrastive harmony, while the savory and herbal notes in the dish will resonate with the wine’s spicy and earthy undertones, thus elevating the entire dining experience to a new level of hedonistic delight. Enjoy!
BODEGA ROLLAND | Yacochuya | 2018
variety: malbec
country: Argentina
region: The North | Salta
rating: 96.3

The creation of Yacochuya was born from a ‘coup de coeur’, a french term for ‘love at first sight’. When the legendary flying winemaker Michel Rolland first visited Cafayate in 1988, he was so profoundly moved by the potential of a specific plot of old Malbec vines that he decided to invest his passion and expertise in this remote corner of Argentina. This wine is the direct result of that heartfelt connection between a french grandmaster and the untamed spirit of a high-altitude terroir.

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