Felino 2023 Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina

The Felino 2023 Malbec doesn’t arrive in thunder—it steps in quietly, with the kind of balance Paul Hobbs has built a career on. The nose is all about detail: plum and blueberry at first, violet petals rising behind, a flick of pepper, a suggestion of clove. Nothing forced, everything in place.

On the palate, it moves with ease. Dark fruit swells, then sharpens into focus—silky tannins brushing the edges, acidity keeping the mid-palate alive. There’s a mineral line beneath the fruit, faint but persistent, the kind that makes you want another sip before the last one has finished.

This isn’t just Malbec—it’s Hobbs’ Mendoza. Felino is the entry point in the Viña Cobos portfolio, sourced from vineyards across Luján de Cuyo and the Valle de Uco. High altitudes, cool nights, rocky soils—all of it builds fruit that carries ripeness without losing edge. Hobbs’ hand refines that fruit rather than reshaping it.

Winemaking here is stripped back: stainless steel to preserve brightness, restrained oak to lend texture without clouding the fruit. The philosophy is the same whether it’s Felino or a single-vineyard bottling—wine should carry the vineyard forward, not the cellar.

And that’s exactly what makes Felino matter. It shows Mendoza’s generosity in a glass that still feels nimble, not heavy. It’s the kind of Malbec you can pour freely—with grilled meat, rustic stews, or just an open evening—and it never stumbles.

Felino 2023 Malbec—Mendoza’s fruit framed in Paul Hobbs’ clarity.