Ideal Wine & Spirits Day 1: Cuvelier los Andes
I’d like to introduce you to Ideal Wine & Spirits. Founded in 1905, their story takes a quiet turn during Prohibition, but no one seems willing to say exactly what happened. One can only assume they carried on in their own fashion. Given the personalities behind the company today, it wouldn’t be surprising if there were a bit of roguish chicanery in their past. That is very much meant as a compliment.
Championing families, growers, and honest wine, Ideal curates a portfolio full of underappreciated gems, many of which Gordon’s has been equally enthusiastic to highlight. Earlier this year, for example, we offered Cantina del Pino Barbaresco and its crus, which I consider among the best values in the region. When you see a wine from Ideal, you can trust that the quality-to-price ratio will be outstanding. I have yet to come across a single item in their inventory that does not impress me.
Like other importer-distributors, Ideal benefits from being a direct-importing distributor in Massachusetts. They focus exclusively on wines they believe in, resulting in a relatively small but highly intentional portfolio. Their perspective often reexamines the classics of the fine wine world through a slightly different lens, which brings us to our first offering from them: Cuvelier Los Andes.
Born originally from the idea of making Bordeaux in Argentina by the winemaking team behind Chateau Leoville-Poyferre (you can even see it in the label), the Cuvelier family realized quickly that they needed to make Argentine wine there, not Bordeaux. This might sound like splitting hairs, but the differences in the regions are stark. Mold is an every day issue in Bordeaux, while irrigation is a must in Mendoza. Getting grapes ripe enough in Bordeaux can still be a struggle, while over-ripeness and maintaining acidity is the challenge in Mendoza. Luckily, it turns out that their good friend Michel Rolland knew a thing or two about opening a winery in Mendoza, and was the founding enology consultant on the project. He switched the product from a dream of Cabernet driven wine to Merlot driven, and the rest is history.
As always in Mendoza as opposed to classified Bordeaux, there is great value to be had here. Wines with this level of pedigree and precision often come at a much higher price point, but the “Colección” consistently punches above its weight. It’s a perfect introduction to the estate, and an easy case to make for stocking up.
92 Points, James Suckling
A creamy red with bark, beetroot, black cherries, mulberries and iodine on the nose. This has a medium to full body and well-integrated tannins. Savory and polished. Drink or hold.