Description
The 2021 River Stones Malbec is nothing short of a revelation—proof that Malbec can stand alongside the finest wines in the world. Sourced from the Adrianna Vineyard’s storied River Stones parcel, this is the pinnacle of high-altitude winemaking. The unique terroir—stony soils from an ancient riverbed at nearly 4,500 feet above sea level—creates a wine of unmatched minerality, depth, and tension.
This vintage captures the magic of 2021, a year defined by cool conditions that elevated freshness and finesse. The aromatics are intoxicating: blackberry, violet, and crushed stone leap from the glass, with subtle notes of white pepper and cocoa adding intrigue. On the palate, it’s all about elegance and energy, with dark fruits, graphite, and silky tannins unfurling in perfect harmony.
It’s taut and focused, with a mineral edge that keeps everything in balance. Winemaker Alejandro Vigil’s gentle touch—wild ferments, partial ageing in French oak foudres, and careful attention to detail—allows the site to shine, producing a wine that feels both powerful and weightless at once.
This is Malbec at its zenith, built for those who appreciate both immediate beauty and long-term potential. You can drink it now, but if yay it down for a couple of decades, you'll watch it evolve into something truly extraordinary. The River Stones Malbec is a rare treasure that redefines what’s possible from Argentina's flagship variety.
100 points
"The 2021 Adrianna Vineyard River delivers a stunning Malbec with stony austerity and a rare combination of power and elegance. Silky texture, pristine aromas, and incredible freshness define this wine, showcasing light, aerial, and ethereal qualities. Bravo!"
- Luis Gutiérrez (The Wine Advocate)
98 points
"The 2021 Adrianna Vineyard River displays a pinot-esque profile for Malbec, with red fruit, black olives, spice, wet stones, and hibiscus. Medium- to full-bodied, pure, transparent, and juicy with a long, refined finish. Complex yet discreet."
- Zekun Shuai (James Suckling)
98 points
"This Malbec reveals enticing notes of sage, arugula, chamomile, lavender, huacatay, rosehip, and crushed plums. With a silky texture, lean profile, and nervous energy, it combines refreshing notes with vibrant juiciness for a harmonious experience."
- Joaquin Hidalgo (Vinous)
18.5+/20 points
"One of the most fragrant and floral Malbecs of the Adrianna range, with alluring notes of violets, wildflowers, fine powdery tannins, and vibrant acidity. Very elegant, drinking beautifully now."
- Amanda Barnes (Jancis Robinson)
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Shipping
Delivery is free on orders of $150 or more!
For orders under this amount, delivery is calculated at checkout based on your postcode. You can order in any quantity or combination of wines you like. Straight dozens are not required.
We will dispatch your order the same or next business day.
Estimated delivery transit time varies depending on your location. Please review this page for specific estimates.
Sydney (Our Vans): If no one is home and there are no special delivery instructions our driver will try to call for instructions. If the driver believes there is a safe space to leave your wine they will do so if not, they will return the item to us and hold your order until further instruction from you.
Melbourne (Anonymous Wine Freight): If no one is home and there are no special delivery instructions, the courier will try to call for instructions. If the driver believes there is a safe space to leave your wine they will do so. if not, they will return the item to their dispatch centre and hold until further instruction from you.
Australia Post: Australia Post will leave the parcel if they have been given authority to leave and it is deemed safe to do so. To give your Authority to Leave, please enter this in the 'SPECIAL REQUEST' box at checkout.
Ordering
We want Different Drop customers to always be getting the best price. If you see a lower price elsewhere, just get in touch and we will sort it out for you. We handle all our price-matching on a case by case basis.
Some things to keep in mind:
- Retrospective price-matching is available for 30 days after you have purchased from us.
- The price match cannot be used in conjunction with a coupon or one-off deal we are offering. The idea is for you to get the best price in the market so if that is already achieved through a coupon then we won't price match on top of that.
- We don't price match clearance or fire sales.
- We’ll match the listed price as long as it is a legitimate offer and the competing store is actually able to fulfil the order (they have stock or more stock is en route). Essentially we won't price match cheeky vendors listing wines they have no hope of actually getting for you...
- It must be a publicly listed price. We won't match a price that has been achieved through a coupon/cash-back arrangement, or through a non-advertised offer over the phone or otherwise.
- It is limited to a reasonable retail quantity.
We'll treat each price match request on its merit and reserve the right to refuse where we deem fit. For example, particularly rare wines, from non-trust-worthy vendors, in circumstances we deem illegitimate or if we feel our policy is being unfairly taken advantage of.
At the end of the day, we'll look after you and use common sense to ensure you're getting the best price, please just don't take the p%$$!
No, feel free to mix it up! There is no minimum requirement. You can order wines in any quantity or combination, 1 or 50+ bottles.
We stock three different sized gift boxes (single, three bottle and six), all are available for purchase for a flat rate of $8. They look great and make an awesome impression.
To add a gift box to your order, simply add at checkout. The special requests box is your friend, please give us as many details of what you are looking for and we will try our best, or get in contact to discuss it with you.
If you want to bulk order gifts or if you have any trouble please email hello@differentdrop.com or call and we can try and help.
If you can't add more wine to your cart it means we are low on stock of that wine. For example, if you are only able to 3 bottles and no more that means we only have 3 bottles left of that wine. If it's a must have, please contact us and we may be able to order more in for you.
Just want to talk to someone?
Please don't ever hesitate - we would love to help! Whether it's a problem we can fix, a wine you're not 100% sure on or if you simply want to talk about wine, food and the meaning of life, we are here for you.