Eh 19 Bonarda - 2011

EH 19 Bonarda 2011 is an approachable, fruit-driven dry red wine from Argentina, typically bottled at 13% to 13.5% ABV. While Malbec dominates global conversations surrounding Argentine viticulture, Bonarda stands proudly as the country’s second most widely planted red grape variety. The EH 19 expression serves as a fantastic, value-driven introduction to this underrated varietal, capturing its signature juicy, high-acidity footprint and showcasing how beautifully the grape can evolve with a bit of cellaring.

Quick Facts: ABV: ~13.5% | Origin: Mendoza, Argentina | Style: Fresh, Vibrant, and Medium-to-Full-Bodied Dry Red | Grape: 100% Bonarda | Size: 750ML

Production & Heritage

• The Charbono Connection: What makes Argentine Bonarda unique is its identity. DNA profiling has proven that it is completely distinct from the "Bonarda Piemontese" grape of Italy. Instead, it is identical to California’s rare Charbono variety, which originally descended from the "Douce Noire" (sweet black) grape of Savoie, France.

• Mendoza’s High-Altitude Landscape: The fruit for the EH 19 label is sourced from the sun-drenched, high-altitude desert plateaus of Mendoza. Rooted in well-draining alluvial soils set against the dramatic, snow-capped backdrop of the Andes Mountains, the vines experience hot daytime sun and cool alpine nights, lock-stretching the ripening loop to retain natural grape freshness.

• Fruit-Centric Vinification: To allow the pure varietal characteristics to take center stage, the wine is processed with low intervention. Following hand-harvesting, the juice undergoes a temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel vats before spending a brief maturation cycle in seasoned, neutral oak barrels to soften the edges without masking the bright berry flavors.

Tasting Notes

• Aroma: Appealing, vibrant, and highly fragrant. The nose opens with an inviting wave of freshly crushed wild strawberries, bright red mulberries, and ripe black cherries, beautifully framed by secondary top notes of blue flowers and a soft hint of sweet baking spice.

• Taste: Medium-to-full-bodied, fresh, and remarkably vibrant on the entry. The palate is treated to plenty of delicious, juicy red fruit flavor. Across the mid-palate, it shows its classic varietal architecture, balancing the fruit intensity with a punchy spine of natural acidity, a velvety texture, and a touch of white pepper.

• Finish: Clean, persistent, and highly satisfying. Backed by an assertive layer of fine-grained, grippy tannins, the rich berry compote elements taper off gracefully into a completely dry finish marked by a lingering trail of wood spice.

How to Drink EH 19 Bonarda

• Proper Cellar Temperatures: Serving this red wine at a cool room or cellar temperature between 60°F and 65°F (15°C to 18°C) is highly recommended. Because Bonarda relies heavily on bright, high-toned red fruit acidity, giving the bottle a quick 15-minute chill keeps the structural layout focused and incredibly refreshing.

• Give It Air: Since this specific bottling dates back to the 2011 vintage, it has spent over a decade in glass. Pouring the liquid into a standard decanter or allowing it to breathe in a large, wide-bowled glass for 15 to 20 minutes is critical to blow off bottle shock and fully expand the baking spice aromatics.

Best For

• Daily casual drinking, weeknight dinners, and relaxed backyard social hostings.

• Stocking a home cellar or bar cart with an affordable, food-friendly alternative to mainstream Malbecs and Merlots.

• Introducing adventurous wine enthusiasts to the historic, lesser-known grape varieties of South America.

• Pairing alongside smoky, rustic grilled foods and traditional Argentine street foods.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What does EH 19 Bonarda taste like? It features a fresh, fruit-forward profile that leads with upfront aromas of strawberry and mulberry, develops a vibrant middle marked by baking spice and juicy cherry, and concludes with a clean, dry finish anchored by grippy food-friendly tannins.

• How does Bonarda compare to Malbec? Malbec typically produces a very dark, heavily full-bodied, and velvety wine dominated by black plum, dark chocolate, sweet vanilla oak, and lower relative acidity. Bonarda is lighter in body and noticeably brighter; it trades heavy black fruit for a vibrant layout of sour cherry, strawberry, and high natural acidity, making it taste closer to a robust Cru Beaujolais or a dry Italian Barbera.

• Is this wine dry or sweet? This is a fully dry red wine. While its upfront fragrance is sweet-scented and exploding with jammy strawberry aromatics, the fermentation process runs completely to completion, leaving virtually zero residual sugar on the palate.

• Where are the vineyards located? The grapes are cultivated in the premier growing zones of Mendoza, Argentina—an agricultural powerhouse famous for combining intense equatorial sunshine with glacial meltwater from the Andes.

• What foods pair well with this wine? The wine's solid acid spine and textured grip make it a terrific companion to traditional Argentine beef empanadas, wood-fired margherita pizza, or light pasta dishes with tomato-based ragù. On a grill spread, it cuts beautifully through the savory fats of skirt steak with chimichurri, grilled pork chops, or slow-roasted chicken thighs.

Why EH 19 Bonarda?

The primary technical advantage of EH 19 Bonarda lies in its pure varietal composition coupled with a high-altitude Mendoza terroir framework, providing a structural vibrancy, bright mouthfeel, and grippy tannin precision that flatland, bulk-blended generic red wines cannot match. It serves as a highly unique, refreshing look into Argentina's heritage viticulture, celebrated for offering a lighter, more food-friendly counterweight to heavy, over-oaked Malbecs. Delivering an incredibly honest, satisfying taste experience in a classic presentation, it offers fantastic value for casual and creative drinking alike.

Specifications

• Varietal/Type: 100% Bonarda

• Product of: Argentina (Mendoza)

• Size: 750ML

• ABV: ~13.5% Vintage dependent

• Brand: EH 19 Wines