A blend from all four of the estate’s vineyards: 1,700, 2,300, 2,600, and 3,111 meters above sea level. This Malbec is more elegant and smooth than Malbecs from the popular Mendoza region. It features a blend of red and dark berries, and 15 months of aging in old barrels imparts a light smokiness and charcoal note. 
 
And why is Bodega Colome famous, anyway? The winery was founded in 1831, by the Spanish Governor of Salta. Nowadays it is the olderst continually producing winery in Argentina. Bodega Colome owns some of the highest vineyards in the world—and the highest in Argentina. Their Altura Maxima vineyard is located at an altitude of 3,111 meters above sea level. It was the highest in the world and held a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records until in China planted a vineyard at an altitude of 3,563 meters in 2018.  In 1998 Donald Hess was on an epic journey to find the best wines of South America. He had been to Chile and then the Mendoza region in Argentina, but still had not found anything that he felt good about. When he arrived in the Northern Argentinian province of Salta, Donald was inspired by the brilliant sunlight and excellent terroir that became his vision to pioneer a new category called ‘high altitude’ wines.
 
Due to the extreme altitude, the grapes receive less protection from UV rays, resulting in greater phenolic and vegetative ripeness.