Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Exploring wine: Malbec, Argentina



Flechas de los Andes, Malbec, 2009, $17.99
My rating for this bottle? I would drink a few glasses

Malbec is quickly becoming one of the most popular wines in the U.S. It's trendy for a number of reasons. One it is less robust and overpowering than a Cabernet Savingnon but can be paired with similar meals, such as heavy meat or pasta dishes. Two, even a cheaper Malbec is complex enough to stand on its own as a red wine to serve during a party. It's a bold red wine with a balanced flavor (well rounded) which makes it appealing for a lesser experienced or casual wine drinker.

Malbec grown originally in France (and still is) but the most well known vintages are from Argentina. This Argentine bottle received a score of 92 out of 100 from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. I agree that it is an impressive wine for the price.

Characteristic of Malbec, the color of this wine is a deep purple. The bouquet (or nose, or smell) smells strongly like juicy dark fruit like blackberries or currants and had a slightly woody scent as well. I tasted this one with my mom and we both noticed the tannins right away, also characteristic of Malbec. We laughed at how it tasted like "wet grapes". You could taste the berries, then grapes, then the bite of the tannins.

The last glass of this one tasted softer than the first. Perhaps this would be a good wine to buy a few bottles and see how it tastes different next summer and the one after that. We drank it on its own (OK, with butter toffee...) but it would be great for a BBQ with chicken wings or ribs. 

If you want more info about this bottle and maker, KosherWino reviewed it in more detail here.



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