Argentina - Malbec
I learned a lot this month. Way more than I expected and that isn't necessarily all bad.
Malbec came from France to Argentina in the mid 19th century. Today, there are only about 13,000 acres of Malbec in France and there are over 75,000 acres of it in Argentina!
The Basics
Malbec is one of the six legally allowed grapes in Bordeaux.
It is called "black wine" in France because the skin is so dark.
It is super sensitive to climate and growing conditions!
It is grown in 3 different, distinct growing regions in Argentina.
April 17 is World Malbec Day
The Growing Regions of Argentina
Lower region - below 1000 feet - these grapes have a thinner skin and the fruit is more soft and supple. These grapes are ideal for roses and mass produced reds. We did not taste any of these!
Further up on the lower slopes of the Andes - 1000 to 1200 feet - thicker skin & deeper flavor concentrations. More aromatic wine with an intense and vibrant color. The most respected of all South American wines come from this region and Mendoza is smack in the middle of this.
Highest - up to 10,000 feet - the Salta Province is among the highest growing regions in the entire world. ONLY Malbec is grown up here. These are not common, yet.
Tasting Notes
Malbec should always be aerated. It is best served at about 59 degrees. One way to get it there is to open the bottle and put it in the fridge (not re-corked) for 15 minutes prior to serving.
This wine is as food friendly as Merlot.
We tried our wines with bleu, manchego, & cheddar cheeses and chili and carne adovada.
First up, Finca Roja from Patagonia. This is a mid-level growing region but not the same conditions as the well-known Mendoza area. This was a pretty good bottle especially at $9.99 at Corridor Wine (Total Wine) in Laurel, MD. There was nothing left of it by the end of the evening, so the group liked it too!
Next, we tried Catena. This is one of the best bodegas in Argentina and people rave about their Malbec year after year. This particular one is rated 91 points. It cost $14.97 at Corridor Wine. It is from the Mendoza region. It was vastly different from the first wine and was yummy, but not the favorite of the night by any stretch! Everyone thought this was amazing with the bleu cheese (except me because I don't eat bleu cheese :-). This is the only bottle that had anything left in it that night and I sent it home with one of the members.
Our third bottle was Chakana, also from Mendoza. This bottle has a 92 point rating and seems to be a constant winner on Robert Parker's list. This bottle set us back $24.99 at Corridor Wine and was quite delicious! Oh yes, it was the first bottle to be emptied, in fact. It has a lovely, artsy jaguar on the label. It went well with everything.
Our final bottle of the evening was a blend. Flichman Tupungato was $13.99 at Corridor Wine and I will buy it again! This was the second bottle emptied. It was lovely and rounded and jammy and just really delicious. This is definitely a recommended buy! I just need to see if Wegmans carries it.
Next month, Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon! Until then,
Cheers,
Kitti
