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Categories:Argentina, Patagonia, White Wine, 90+
Tags: #winewinesituation, #bodegamalma, #raraavis, #chardonnay, #argentina, #whitewine, #wine, #90+
Rara Avis, meaning "a rare bird", represents Malma's flagship expression of Chardonnay, crafted to reveal the purity of Patagonia's terroir. It is produced from a massal selection of own-rooted Chardonnay vines trained on a bilateral cordon system with carefully controlled yields. Bodega Malma, owned by the Viola family, are pioneers of viticulture in San Patricio del Chañar, Patagonia.
Appellation: Patagonia (Argentina)
Soil Type: Calcareous profile with medium and coarse stones and clayey sector with some salinity.
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
Tasting notes: “From San Patricio del Chañar, the 2024 Chardonnay Rara Avis was aged for nine months on lees. It opens with hazelnut at its core, framed by waffle-like notes and apple/pear fruit. Broad and rich, yet lifted by bright freshness, it delivers a clean, long palate, where fruit and nutty tones intertwine on the finish. A flavorful wine with an uncommon complexity.” – From Vinous
Food pairing: Butter-poached lobster, roasted turbot, truffle risotto, herb-roasted chicken and aged Comté cheese.
Ratings:
Vintage 2024: 93 Points Vinous & 91 Points Robert Parker
“A highlight from this set of releases from Bodega Malma, the 2024 Rara Avis Chardonnay leans into lees-derived richness while maintaining a streamlined mouthfeel and admirable purity. A touch of honeyed density on the mid-palate adds further complexity, while the finish lingers with nutty undertones, energized by cleansing acidity.
Founded in 1996 by Julio Viola, Bodega Malma farms roughly 130 hectares in San Patricio del Chañar and is now led by Ana Viola and Julio Viola Jr., with consulting input from Hans Vinding-Diers. The red wines are typically destemmed, fermented with commercial yeasts and aged in a mix of 225-liter and 500-liter barrels and in stainless steel tanks. The wines reflect the luscious profile that tends to define Neuquén—a characteristic further emphasized by a stated ambition to appeal to American drinkers —yet retain a welcome degree of energy and delineation.” - Published: Aug 27, 2026 (Robert Parker)
Rara Avis, meaning "a rare bird", represents Malma's flagship expression of Chardonnay, crafted to reveal the purity of Patagonia's terroir. It is produced from a massal selection of own-rooted Chardonnay vines trained on a bilateral cordon system with carefully controlled yields. Bodega Malma, owned by the Viola family, are pioneers of viticulture in San Patricio del Chañar, Patagonia.
Appellation: Patagonia (Argentina)
Soil Type: Calcareous profile with medium and coarse stones and clayey sector with some salinity.
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
Tasting notes: “From San Patricio del Chañar, the 2024 Chardonnay Rara Avis was aged for nine months on lees. It opens with hazelnut at its core, framed by waffle-like notes and apple/pear fruit. Broad and rich, yet lifted by bright freshness, it delivers a clean, long palate, where fruit and nutty tones intertwine on the finish. A flavorful wine with an uncommon complexity.” – From Vinous
Food pairing: Butter-poached lobster, roasted turbot, truffle risotto, herb-roasted chicken and aged Comté cheese.
Ratings:
Vintage 2024: 93 Points Vinous & 91 Points Robert Parker
“A highlight from this set of releases from Bodega Malma, the 2024 Rara Avis Chardonnay leans into lees-derived richness while maintaining a streamlined mouthfeel and admirable purity. A touch of honeyed density on the mid-palate adds further complexity, while the finish lingers with nutty undertones, energized by cleansing acidity.
Founded in 1996 by Julio Viola, Bodega Malma farms roughly 130 hectares in San Patricio del Chañar and is now led by Ana Viola and Julio Viola Jr., with consulting input from Hans Vinding-Diers. The red wines are typically destemmed, fermented with commercial yeasts and aged in a mix of 225-liter and 500-liter barrels and in stainless steel tanks. The wines reflect the luscious profile that tends to define Neuquén—a characteristic further emphasized by a stated ambition to appeal to American drinkers —yet retain a welcome degree of energy and delineation.” - Published: Aug 27, 2026 (Robert Parker)
Categories:Argentina, Patagonia, White Wine, 90+
Tags: #winewinesituation, #bodegamalma, #raraavis, #chardonnay, #argentina, #whitewine, #wine, #90+