2010 Cameron Hughes Lot 275 Malbec Reserva, Argentina

This is my last bottle of my online purchase from CHWine.com, and while I’ve enjoyed finding the time to sample a wider variety of the wines available from Cameron Hughes I’ve decided that the wines themselves frequently fall short of my expectations. Again this may be due to my maturing palate but it could also be that their wines just don’t live up to the QPR test. Enough of my sidebar, on to the review.

This is a beautiful glass of wine to look at, dark purple with black flecks and violet tinged bubbles make an enticing picture to be sure. The aromas wafting from the rim of my glass are all fruit; cherry, plum and raspberry with just the slightest hint of vanilla. The attack is fruit as well, but darker; blackberry, black plum and currant pour over the palate in juicy waves leaving behind traces of black cherry-vanilla and oak. The juicy-ness and fruity-ness continues at all levels of this wine; relatively reserved tannins and astringency during the mid-palate are punctuated by sweet and sour cherry and super sweet raisin flavors. Then comes a very long finish featuring loads of plum, raisin and black cherry juicy-ness all supported on a foundation of oak, sage, ash, vanilla and very mild, wet leather. This is a full bodied wine that leaves the palate with an aftertaste of fruit skins and Band-Aids (weird I know but that’s what I taste, that funky plastic flavor of Band-Aids).

Overall, this is one of the few Cameron Hughes winners I’ve sampled recently. It’s a very young, juicy Malbec that’s an absolute pleasure to sip with hamburgers or steaks. Easily stands up to the fruity-er California Cabs or Chilean Merlots, though this has fewer tannins than the former and more tannins than the latter. All in all I found this closer to a Bonarda than either of those wines. I would rate this a good-nearly-great QPR as I believe I paid between 10 and 12 dollars for this particular bottle (though I think it was on sale at the time). Much better than their Lot 239 Chilean Meritage or Lot 248 California Cabernet Sauvignon; if you are a Cameron Hughes enthusiast this is a must try and if you are a Malbec lover than you should check this out. Otherwise this wine gets pretty high marks as a wonderful, fruit forward red wine that is a satisfying glass with food or by itself.

Cameron Hughes Wine 

2008 Munoz de Toro Valle Perdido Malbec, Argentina

Such a pleasure...Very dark purple with an exceptionally vibrant ruby rim

Sensual subtleties… Black currant, black cherry, vanilla, cedar chips

Just a tad bit lacking…I have been lucky enough to find this wine (as well as the Munoz de Toro Argie Bonarda) at a local olive mill. I say I’m lucky because this wine is an exceptional glass of Malbec, and for the nice price of 12.99. I haven’t done a lot of research on this except to find out that this is a Durigutti wine and while I wasn’t a big fan of the 2009 Durigutti Malbec; this is a much better pour. Be advised this wine needs time to breathe, even if you use a Vinturi or other wine aerator you need to let this sit out for a few hours preferably overnight. If you give this wine a chance to breathe it is quite a nice experience. The attack is all dark fruit layered one atop the next; cherry, plum, black currant with a smattering of blackberry and blueberry and just a touch of smoky wood underlying those fruit flavors. The mid-palate is just a little bit “weaker” than I’d like. I can feel just the mere hints of alcohol heat, and the tannins are very illusive. There is some nice acidity and some nice sweet-and-sour cherry/cranberry flavors. But overall the mid-palate isn’t what I’d expected in the least. While the mid-palate leaves me wanting, the long finish does not disappoint. Layer upon layer of black fruits (plum, blackberry and currant being predominant) are interspersed with cassis, vanilla, ash, loam, sage and leather; making this one of the more complex Malbec’s I’ve tasted in a while. This is a medium bodied wine with an exceptionally pleasant aftertaste of cherry and chalk that leaves me licking my lips and longing for another glass.

Overall, this is a wonderful wine experience with just a few hiccups along the way. The attack is somewhat one dimensional and the mid-palate is a disappointment but this wine shines in the finish and pours on the depth and character. Due to the beauty of the finish and overall pleasantness of this wine I recommend it and give it a solid, Good QPR. For your money it’s a decent bottle, but if you really just want a great drinking Malbec for the best price than you’d still have to pick up the Kaiken Malbec. This isn’t as cheap as the Kaiken and the Kaiken is a better all around wine in my opinion; but this is pretty darn close.

D U R I G U T T I 

2007 Trivento Amado Sur (72% Malbec, 16% Bonarda, 12% Syrah), Argentina

Color classification…Ruby red with an even red rim

Aroma arrangement…Black cherry, currant, vanilla, buttered toast

Taste taxonomy…After two unsuccessful trips to Cost Plus, I had almost decided I wouldn’t return for a few moths so they could get in some new offerings. But I was in the neighborhood and dropped in not expecting to find anything that would pique my interest. I’m glad I stopped by since I picked up this Argentinean red blend featuring three of my favorite varietals. I let this wine get some air for a good 30 minutes before I went ahead and tasted it. I recommend at least that long as this wine is rather tight and leans toward flavors that are young and dense. Even after decanting the flavors were very focused and intense with some complexity in how the flavors played across my palate. On the attack this wine brings forth big flavors blackberry, burnt toast, leather and wood smoke; these flavors while intense are also somewhat unbalanced seeming to jump and bounce across my tongue rather than transition smoothly. The mid-palate carries this “sneak attack syndrome” to the next level by pouncing out of nowhere as the attack mellows in flavor. The mid-palate has a lot of heat from the alcohol though not enough to cause any undue harm to this wine’s flavor; it also features some playful, nearly perfect tannins that bring on subtle astringency and a smooth, smoke-like texture to the wine right as the mid-palate melts into the finish. Speaking of the finish, it’s long; very long. It’s also the most balanced part of this wine as the flavors play perfectly with one another. The flavors in the finish are even darker than those in the attack; dark, smoky berries complemented by chocolate mingled with tar and topped with vanilla and oak. This is definitely a full bodied wine; in color, nose and flavor. The aftertaste is somewhat lighter nicely mixing blackberry and brown sugar.

Overall, I enjoyed this wine, but it didn’t stand out like I wanted it too. The predominant flavors are of a rather young, dark Malbec. The Bonarda doesn’t make a very noticeable impact on this wine, though the Syrah probably adds to the already intense smoke/vanilla/oak present in this wine. At 12 dollars a bottle, this is probably priced right where it should be. I can’t see paying much more for this wine, though 12 dollars isn’t a deal here. So this gets a Fair QPR, just average where red blends are concerned. I can’t recommend this with a ton of enthusiasm, it’s an average wine at a relatively average price. If you want to make the call you can find this at your local Cost Plus, just don’t go looking to be “blown away”.

*As an aside, the Wine Spectator awarded the 2009 vintage of this wine 90 points and listed it on their annual “100 Outstanding Values”. Therefore I will be on the lookout for that particular vintage in the hopes that it fares better than the 2007.*

Trivento Wines

2007 Hogue Cellars Genesis Meritage(49% Merlot, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc), Washington

Oh Say Can You See…Ruby red fading to reddish violet at the rim

A Bouquet of…Dark cherry, blackberry, syrup

The Taste buds Tale…This is a Fry’s closeout wine that I found recently on the shelf for 50% off, it rang up at just under 13 dollars. Mostly I bought this in order to get another Meritage sample. While I realize all of the Meritages I have tried up to this point have had differing blends of grapes, it is still my aim to be able to compare and contrast them. A lot of my fascination with Meritage lies in my love of red blend. I believe a good inexpensive red blend can far outshine a single varietal wine purchased for the same price. It’s been my experience that blends in the 10-15 dollar range are more complex than single varietal wines at the same price while also being more balanced. So I popped the cork, poured, and sat back to let it get some air. I returned after 30 minutes, swirled, sniffed and sipped this wine…wow after a good 30 minutes this was still relatively piercing and hot where the tannins and alcohol were concerned. I set aside the glass for yet another 30 minutes. I came back around and repeated my process only to be greeted with the same result. I decided to finish my glass swiftly and return to the bottle the following day. On day two I poured another small glass, swirled and sniffed. The aromas coming off the glass were more well defined on day two; I could smell dark cherry mixed with blackberry, a hint of licorice and at the tail end what I can only describe generically as syrup. Upon the first sip this wine still tastes young and a little rambunctious. The flavors on the attack are big; cherry, blackberry, currant and pepper. Then a wild ride of a mid-palate defined mainly by rough and ready tannins, alcohol heat just a little on the warm side for me and a sourness that I didn’t expect right before the finish hits. The finish is medium in length and brings back the big, bold berry/cherry flavors, adds to them a healthy dose of tobacco, licorice and black pepper, then heaps on a huge helping of oak halfway through the finish that ends up being the main flavor in the aftertaste. I hesitate to call this a full bodied wine, though the flavors and textures would take me in that direction. This is really a medium bodied wine that is still a little young and rough around its edges.

Let Me Sum Up…If you purchase this Meritage make sure you give it ample time to breathe before you start to sip it. In reality you might want to let this sit in your cellar for a good 3-5 years before you pop the cork on it because I truly believe this wine will be good given a chance to mellow with age. Right now it’s just too young, full of tannins and overoaked on the finish. At 13 dollars this barely gets a poor QPR from me. Had I paid full price for this I would be kicking myself all the way into next month, as it stands I still feel like I got taken for a ride. The Genesis looks like an elegant bottle of wine with mature complexity and depth but shows more in common with a rowdy wine that wants to put a knock out punch on your palate. I’d recommend that you pass on this wine.

Hogue Cellars

2010 Gascon Malbec, Argentina

Color – Purple with a violet rim

Nose – Blueberry, strawberry, cherry

Taste – I had the chance to spend an evening out with my wife and mutual friends at The Living Room Wine Café and Lounge. First off this is not to be confused with a wine bar, the difference between them being this was closer to a club/bar than a lounge/wine sipping spot. Regardless the wine list was lengthy though not overly pretentious however they were out of the wine I was interested in trying. They offered me this wine instead at a 12 dollar discount (I shudder to think I could have purchased this bottle for that amount at my local supermarket, instead I paid 20 dollars for this bottle). This wine is young and very fruit forward. There isn’t a lot going on as far as flavor is concerned; sugary blackberry, strawberry and cherry dominate the attack with just a little plum and raisin hints as well. The mid-palate is lacking any noticeable astringency, but does carry limited alcohol and biting tannins. The finish is medium in length with sour cherry, leather and some of that cough syrup flavor I detest in wine (though it’s just a hint of the cough syrup flavor). This wine is medium bodied though it wants to be a full bodied wine. The aftertaste is pleasing enough with flavors of stone fruit and molasses.

Overall, this wine is young, fruit forward and not worth 10 dollars much less 20. It’s a pleasing enough though completely un-complex red wine. It tastes almost like sugared fruit juice. If you don’t like particularly bold red wines or are used to sweet wines this one’s for you. Otherwise I advise passing on this one; it has a poor QPR and for the same price you can get a pretty darn good Malbec if you pick up the Kaiken.

Gascon Wines

2009 Durigutti Malbec, Argentina

In livid color…Very dark purple, black at the core

Remini-scent of…Black currant, raisin, alcohol

Taste the situation…I must admit to being curious about this wine every time I walk through the Costco wine section or look at the Malbecs that are sold at Total Wine & More. The bottle is elegant and simple with cursive script in white on a black label with orange foil topping the cork. It’s because of this elegance and simplicity that I was so interested in this wine, that and the price. I finally gave in on a recent trip to Costco and purchased this bottle. Not having any preconceptions I popped the cork, poured a small glass, swirled, sniffed and sipped. Definitely decant this wine, preferably for an extended period (mine was still too tight, alcohol-y and tannic even after a few hours, that faded by the next day). Keep in mind this is a young wine and according to the winemakers does not go through a lot of the processes other wines go through as they are fermented. Take that with a grain of salt, however it’s possible that those processes take off some of the “edge“ of most red wines. This one still had some rough patches, but I was able to get through the bottle without my palate being overwhelmed by this wine’s failings. First off this is a pretty big wine, tasting heavily of fruit but equally of sharp, savory and sour flavors. The attack starts off smooth enough with raspberry, cherry and blackberry flavors, backed with a streak of leather and smoke. Those last two carry on through the mid-palate where astringency jumps right in and dries my tongue and cheeks mightily. This is followed by powerful alcohol heat and flavor, almost overbearing in its intensity; the only reason it doesn’t kill this wine is that it fades VERY fast. A medium-long finish meanders in lazily and brings with it a lot more dark, sour flavors and leaves off most of the fruit. There is leather, smoke, tar, licorice, espresso beans and just a hint of plum and blackberry. The sharp flavors are backed by another surge of alcohol heat that you can feel if you exhale through your nose just as you swallow. This is a full bodied wine with an aftertaste of leather and burnt sugared plums.

Overall, I went back and forth by the end of each glass I drank trying to decide if this was a drinker or a dud. It has its failings, but you can tell the winemakers are trying to relay something with this wine. There are hints of complexity; they just don’t work right. The overwhelming alcohol presence is what finally tipped the scales and made my mind up for me. This gets a poor QPR mostly by taste alone. The quality in and of itself is definitely there in the weight and complexity of the wine, but the flavors don’t blend in this wine at all. It’s a pretty messy, hot wine; not something I would recommend. I do plan to set a bottle of this aside in my cellar and come back to it in the next 5-10 years because I do think there is something here. I just believe this needs more time in the bottle to mellow and gain some much needed age. Take a pass on this if you are looking for a Malbec with dinner grab the Kaiken or Alamos; those two won’t let you down.

Durigutti

2007 Anakena Ona Limited Edition Malbec, Chile

On the Crayola chart…Blackish red with a garnet rim

Olfactory allusions...Black currant, brown sugar, Concord grape juice

The taste buds are a-tingling…I have talked up the Anakena line of wines for quite some time now, with the only real disappointment being their Single Vineyard Malbec. So when I saw this on the shelves of my local Total Wine & More, I just had to try it out. I had hopes that I would find a decent Malbec from Chile; sadly that’s not the case here. While this wine does better than the Single Vineyard Malbec, it still falls short of my expectations for an Ona labeled wine. The attack is marked with blackberry, black currant and plum; other than those flavors there doesn’t seem to be any other layers which threw me for a loop to say the least. The attack to mid-palate transition is very smooth; the mid-palate showing shy tannins and over-friendly alcohol heat. The heat lingers into the medium-to-long finish; mingling with darker flavors of molasses, tobacco, black tea leaves and sugared black plums. There is a lingering aftertaste of black plum and molasses, that sours just a tad right before it fades. All of this after the wine had been open for a day. I did sample a glass fifteen minutes after I popped the cork; much like the Single Vineyard Malbec this wine tastes better right after opening than it does after breathing in some air. I don’t know if the terrior in Chile doesn’t favor the Malbec grape or if my palate doesn’t enjoy just how much Chilean Malbec tends to mellow after breathing, but I didn’t enjoy this wine as much as I’d hoped to.

Overall, this rates a mere OK QPR. It tastes big and somewhat herbaceous if you sip it right after opening, but mellows into a rather boring, warm red wine if given the chance to touch some air. That’s not to say it tastes bad, merely that it makes this wine an over-expense when there are much cheaper Argentinean Malbecs that are more pleasing and complex than this wine. If you are taking a journey through the Anakena Wines as I am attempting to do you will still want to sample this wine, but I don’t think you will be keeping it around the house afterwards. This does not earn a recommendation from me unless you just want to try out a Chilean Malbec, all the rest of you purchase something else.

Anakena Wines

2008 Cruz Alta Chairman’s Blend (85% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Syrah), Argentina

In living color…Deep ruby red with hints of purple throughout

Heavenly aromatics…Blackberry, boysenberry, smoke, clove

Taste sensations…I have enjoyed quite a few wines from Cruz Alta’s catalog, but I always felt they were slightly overpriced for the quality of the wine. Sure they were all good, solid wines; but I had heard them talked up as these amazing, complex wines for bargain prices. It is true that most of them fall into the value wine category, but I have enjoyed other, less expensive wines more than I enjoyed those from Cruz Alta that I had sampled. It was with all of these reservations in the back of my mind, I went out on a limb and took the advice of a Total Wine “expert wine specialist” and purchased this bottle. My palate is truly appreciative of that man’s advice. This is an immensely excellent red blend; combining elegant fruit flavors, subtle savory textures and enough heat and complexity to carry this wine through and bring me great pleasure. The attack flows over the tongue with smooth blackberry, plum, black cherry and molasses. The mid-palate carries the silky-ness of the attack with focused yet subtle tannins, delicate alcohol acidity and warmth and near perfect levels of astringency all mingled together to ground the fruit forward attack. The finish is pleasantly long, characterized by cassis, black pepper, tobacco, bittersweet chocolate and hints of wet leaves. This is a silky-smooth while at the same time somewhat “weighty”, full bodied wine. It moves from attack to mid-palate to finish like a liquid ninja gliding across the tongue and leaving faint reminders of its passing. Truly an exceptional red blend!

Overall, I have to rate this wine a good QPR. I wanted to go out on a limb and say great QPR, but it is a little pricey. However for the quality exhibited here you won’t find many other wines that can compete with this. The Anakena Ona red blend is the only one that comes to mind, all others at the 10-15 dollar mark are decidedly lacking (though still decent in and of themselves). The Kirkland Signature Rutherford Valley Meritage comes close to this wine, but doesn’t have the complexity, balance and smoothness that this wine carries. In my opinion this ties the Anakena Ona as my favorite red blend sub-20 dollars. I highly recommend this wine if you enjoy intense red wines or quality red blends from south of the border.

.2009 Cruz Alta Reserve Malbec, Argentina

Color – Deep red with a purple core

Nose – Blackberry, plum, blueberry, molasses

Taste – Upon recommendation from a Total Wine employee I picked this up. Actually several of their employees have recommended this as their best Malbec under 15 dollars, so I finally bought a bottle. This is a good, balanced Malbec. The attack is warm, with pleasant dark fruit and berry flavors particularly blackberry, dark cherry and black plum. The mid-palate has wonderful texture personified by firm tannins, perfect levels of acidity and easy-going astringency. The finish is medium-long with darker flavors and textures; sugared dark plums, molasses, tobacco, coffee and bittersweet chocolate jump to mind as I sipped the wine. This is a medium bodied Malbec, though it edges into full bodied territory just a little bit on the finish. The weight and warmth of this wine speak to its quality, while the depth and texture are nicely balanced. It’s not overly presumptuous though it shows hints of complexity in the mid-palate and finish. The aftertaste is very smooth berries and raisins with a touch of plum skins. A nice effort, nothing out of the ordinary for a Malbec but of definite quality, depth and flavor.

Overall, I would rate this wine with a good QPR. It’s not an amazing Malbec. The attack is a little subdued for my taste, the mid-palate a touch boring and the wine itself wants to be a full bodied wine but doesn’t make the cut. The finish is the only area where this wine shows its true colors, and it shines at the finish. It’s not my favorite Malbec, but it’s a good, drinkable representation of this varietal. In my opinion for half the price the Kaiken Malbec is a much better wine for the price, but this isn’t bad just not the best.

2009 Tikal Patriota (60% Bonarda/40% Malbec), Argentina

My Crystal Balls Shows…Rich, dark purple that barely fades to violet at the rim

After a Sniff or Three…Blackberry, strawberry, blueberry, vanilla

The Taste Forecast is…I just about jumped up and down with glee when I saw this at my local Costco for 17 dollars this past week. Previously I’ve only been able to find this wine at Total Wine and at a price range that was a little above that at 20 dollars.  Needless to say I didn’t hesitate to place this in my cart; the resulting shopping trip was a nightmare because I was so impatient to get home and crack open this wine. We finally reached the house; I quickly unloaded the groceries, helped my wife put them away and then uncorked this bottle. Let me first say that this bottle could double as a deadly weapon. It’s heavy, made of thick glass, with considerable width at the base. I have read many articles that also comment on the cost of bottle and labels that wineries choose for their wines; this one is seems to be in a bottle that is of a higher quality than most other red wines I’ve tried. After this had decanted for a good 30 minutes I couldn’t help myself and finally swirled, sniffed and sipped. The aromas coming off this wine are complex but they are also very fleeting, you have to search to untangle the scents because they blend together so well. On the first sip my palate was absolutely overwhelmed with massive flavors of black fruit, dark berries and savory herbs and spices. I sipped down the rest of my glass and let the bottle get some air overnight before I returned to see if it had mellowed any. My second glass went nearly as my first did; the wine had mellowed slightly but not much. So this wine is just going to be a HUGE, DEEP red wine. The attack is complex, with bold strawberry and blackberry flavors that fold into creamy vanilla which melts into what I can only describe as peppery, oaky leather. These flavors dissipate like smoke leaving a slightly cracked window into a mid-palate of pitch perfect alcohol heat and tannic astringency. The mid-palate is so smooth on this wine that is almost makes me want to say bad things about the attack and the finish; while those are both complex and pleasant the mid-palate is so extremely balanced and smooth that it almost seems to be invisible. Yet when you spend a few sips experiencing just the mid-palate; you find it isn’t invisible it is merely so evenhanded and silky that it doesn’t seem to exist amongst the massive flavors of the attack and the finish. Speaking of the finish, it’s long and luxurious. It brings back the blackberry, oak and vanilla flavors; then adds to them grape skins, bittersweet chocolate, coffee and anise. There is no doubt in my mind or palate this wine is a full bodied wine. It pours dark and thick in the glass, evinces aromas that are blended but very dark and tastes just as warm, dark and heavy as you would expect from any full bodied red wine.

Overall, this wine is right up my alley; a big, bold red wine. Actually describing this is a big and bold is doing it an injustice. This wine is enormous in flavor, amazing in complexity, varied in texture and superbly priced. Had I paid 25 dollars for this bottle I would rate it a Good-to-Great QPR, at 17 dollars it’s as if I committed highway robbery and got away with it. Don’t misunderstand me; this wine will only satisfy a small portion of the population, those of you that like really LARGE tasting/feeling wines. If you fall into that category, as do I, you will love this wine and hopefully agree with my descriptions. As it stands I plan to return to this wine soon and frequently while Costco still carries it. I also plan to cellar at least 2 bottles of this wine; I think it will hold up well to cellaring for quite some time. I highly recommend this wine; buy this now!

Tikal Wines

2009 Santa Julia Reserva Malbec, Argentina

Color – Garnet red

Nose – Blackberry, compost, forest floor, wet leaves, wood

Taste – This is another gem I found at my local Cost Plus World Market on sale for something like 5 dollars off the normal price, I think I ended up paying 12 dollars for this particular bottle. I am glad I decided to purchase this bottle, more than glad of that fact. This pours dark and heavy in the glass, with aromas to match, and I was almost giddy with excitement when I lifted the glass to my lips for the first time. I wasn’t disappointed; this wine virtually assaulted my taste buds with flavors dark fruit, oak, charred caramel and damp soil. The mid-palate is all elegant textures of full tannins, boisterous alcohol and perfect astringency. The finish is long and wandering; featuring flavors that bounce around from blackberry to smoky oak to sour dark cherry to coffee grounds. This is firmly in the full bodied category as the wine sits with a definite “weight” on the palate. The textures, complexity and depth of this wine are just shy of perfect. I would be happy had I paid full price for this wine, it’s that good in the glass. I will admit that I sampled this without pairing it, though I imagine a good steak, lamb off the grill, or savory fish would suit this wine quite nicely.

Overall, this wine is a good-to-great QPR, easily worth 15-20 dollars. It’s complex with flavors of oak, wet soil and dark fruits as well as tannins that grab hold and won’t let go. I would go out of my way to seek out another glass of this wine. It’s just that good. Sure it’s not a fruit forward Malbec, falling more into the category of a Cabernet Sauvignon-Malbec Blend. But it shows off some wonderful flavors and textures. This is a buy now wine, so seek it out at your next trip to Cost Plus, better yet go out of your way to make a trip to Cost Plus sometime this week, you won’t be disappointed.

Familia Zuccardi

2008 Los Nevados Malbec, Argentina

Color – Inky purple with a very dark red rim

Nose – Blackberry, black currant, minerals

Taste – This is one of a few bottles I picked up recently on a trip to Cost Plus World Market. I chatted with their “Beverage Specialist”, and after some time passing wine stories back and forth I decided we had similar tastes in red wines. He recommended this Malbec due to its level of “spicy-ness”, more akin to a Carmenere was my guess and he agreed. So I was pleasantly surprised when I popped the cork, took a first sip and found that to be a very true statement. If you don’t let this decant it does have a lot of spicy, peppery flavors that mix and mingle with dark fruits and berries (plum, blackberry, dark cherry) all of these flavors balanced with firm tannins and a decent alcohol bite. But if you let it decant, the peppery flavors soon fade away nearly altogether and you are left with a somewhat earthy Malbec. Either way this wine is a good one. Right now I am sipping the wine after it’s been open for just over a day and enjoying the flavors of blackberry and black currant on the attack, a mid-palate characterized with nice acid, tannin and alcohol and a medium-long finish personified by flavors of tobacco, dark cherry, pepper, and wet earth. I would have to say this is a full bodied effort as it feels rather weighty in my mouth and with a texture that almost feels like there is sediment, chalk or very find sand mixed into the liquid (which is not the case at all).

Overall, I would have to say this is a fabulously satisfying Malbec with a good-to-great QPR. If consumed right after opening you will be in for a treat, as this wine tastes like a decent blend of Carmenere and Malbec. If you let this sit overnight or decant it for a while this wine taste like a Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec blend. Neither of those are bad things as this wine has awesome flavors, is priced just right, and is VERY drinkable. I will be purchasing this again at 9 dollars a bottle, it is worth it all the way.

Los Nevados Wines

2008 Kaiken Malbec, Argentina

Color – Inky purple, nearly black

Nose – Blueberry, plum, vanilla

Taste – For our eleventh anniversary, my wife and I went to a restaurant we frequented during our dating years. While sitting perusing the menu, I decided to order a bottle of wine. My first choice, a Carmenere, was out of stock. I took a few more minutes and decided on this wine that I had seen quite a few places but always put off purchasing. Yes I paid three times what I would have paid at Total Wine, but I found out just how good Kaiken Malbec is; and why I should have been drinking it since I started this blog. First off this isn’t some mediocre, supermarket Malbec. This is a great big, amazing flavor, huge depth, Malbec. I am sure you can find it in some supermarkets, if that’s the case buy it now. I tasted it the first night with a plate of gyros and tzatziki; the wine tasted warm and spicy a wonderful complement to the red onions, kalemata olives and yogurt sauce. I finished off ¾ of the bottle and left it in my wine cellar for the past 4 days. Tonight I fired up the grill for some rib-eye steaks I had laying around. I went through two other wines, a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chilean Carmenere blend, before I poured the final glass of Kaiken Malbec to sample with the last quarter of my steak. How I wished I had tried this wine first. Bursting with flavors of blackberry, black plum, vanilla and clove this wine practically jumped up and down on my taste buds when I took the first sip. The mid-palate was firm, ripe tannins, elegant alcohol heat that made my tongue tingle, and dark cherry/blueberry flavors. The finish is medium in length with more dark berry flavors, along with delicate wood smoke, bittersweet chocolate, and tobacco. This is medium bodied, nudging into full-bodied just a little with warmth and texture one would expect from a really good Malbec.

Overall, this is hands down one of the best Malbecs I’ve ever tasted if not the best representation of this varietal. It has everything I love in a wine; depth, character, flavor, heat, tannins and astringency but all of those things are in perfect proportions. Normally I would shy away from non-fruit forward Malbecs, but this is a masterpiece of a wine. I would say this is a great QPR at 10 – 12 dollars a bottle depending on the store you shop at. I would advise making this your house Malbec, as it is inexpensive and amazing. A stand-alone wine or a wine to be paired with just about any dish. Keep this one in your cellar at all times.

Kaiken Wines

2008 Graffigna Centenario Malbec Reserve, Argentina

Color – Dark purple with a black core

Nose – Black currant, blackberry, brown sugar, caramel

Taste – A word of advice before we start, decant this wine for at least an hour before you begin to sip. Once you do start sipping be prepared for very strong flavors. This wine is not a fruit forward Malbec. Instead it starts with flavors of blueberry, blackberry, dark cherry, heat from the alcohol and leather. The mid-palate comes on strong with plentiful tannins, brown sugar, and muted spice box flavors. The finish is long and can seem a little harsh at times due to the tannins and heat that run through the entire wine. There are some dark fruit flavors on the finish (blackberry, plum, currant) as well as tobacco, bittersweet chocolate, and more leather. This is a full bodied wine and not an everyday Malbec as I’ve mentioned previously. There are fruit flavors but they are more even in this wine, blending with the tannins, heat and tobacco/leather flavors rather than overpowering them.

Overall, the wine is not bad when paired well and when sipped slightly chilled. As the wine warmed in my glass the tannins evened out, but the alcohol took a big step forward and really overwhelmed all of the other flavors. If you do purchase this wine (Costco for 8.99), make sure you serve it slightly chilled. This barely makes the grade for a wine that I would recommend. It has a pretty good QPR given that this wine’s quality is definitely there with a nice level of complexity and depth. This isn’t an inexpensive Malbec, but the flavors here won’t work for everyone. I won’t be seeking this out when I want a good all around Malbec, instead I will grab Alamos or Chateau Labrande, but if I am in the mood for something a little more robust and complex I’d buy this again. Let me know what you think.

Graffigna Wines

2008 Chateau Labrande Cahors Malbec, France

Color – Deep, even purple

Nose – Blackberry, wet soil, plum, compost?

Taste – I was weary of this Malbec due to my last run in with the French offering of this grape, however I was pleasantly surprised upon taking my first sip of this particular wine. It’s deep and dark in color and has interesting aromas that bring to mind very dark fruit, damp earth, and the combination of the two in what I can only describe as compost. The first flavors that come through are both fruit and somewhat savory flavors; I taste sour blackberry and dark plum mixed with bittersweet chocolate, coffee, and burnt caramel. The mid-palate has just a hint of alcohol, perfect tannins, and a nice even mouthfeel. The finish is medium-to-long with the recurring flavor of burnt caramel now joined by clean fruit skins and leather. The wine is full bodied with nice “warmth” to it as the mid-palate fades into the finish. This wine shows just how pleasant and different Malbec from France can be; it’s definitely a journey I enjoyed this time around.

Overall, I would say this wine is a good-to-great QPR. At 9 dollars a bottle and with the depth, complexity and flavors provided you’d be hard-pressed to find a better full bodied Malbec than this. I would say stock up on this while it’s available at Costco. Don’t expect to find the same flavors as Argentinean Malbec since the terroir in France provides this wine with a more savory flavor profile and a heavier “weight” to this wine. It’s still a winner, a wine I would compare to the Bodegas Flechas de los Andes Gran Malbec but for 4 fewer dollars this is one you want to find right now.

Wine, the Journey So Far pt. 3

(I do not own the rights to this picture)

Gamay is a purple-colored grape variety used to make red wines, most notably grown in Beaujolais and in the Loire Valley around Tours. Its full name is Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc. It is a very old cultivar, mentioned as long ago as the 15th century. It has been often cultivated because it makes for abundant production; however, it can produce wines of distinction when planted on acidic soils, which help to soften the grape's naturally high acidity. - source Wikipedia-

On a recent trip to Total Wine & More, one of their wine experts recommended that I try a 2009 Beaujolais Cru. He had seen me perusing their rather paltry offerings of Bonarda and thought I would like either Beaujolais Cru or Cabernet Franc. After a brief glance of both varietals I opted for the Cabernet Franc only because I have had red blends with Cabernet Franc and at the time knew nothing about Beaujolais-Cru or the Gamay grape. Hindsight is 20/20 and I now wish I had gone the other route.

I purchased a few bottles of Beaujolais-Villages over the last two weeks and boy was I eves surprised at how much I enjoy this varietal. I’ve done some research now on the grape, Gamay, and on the wines that feature this grape. While the Beaujolais-Villages is not as complex, proud, and revered as the Beaujolais Cru, it comes in a close second. And I am finding myself enjoying this grape for reasons that other reds just can’t satisfy.

So another side of my palate is coming to maturity. That of the side that enjoys lightly-tannic, red wines that are less fruit forward with a nose that has more floral tendencies rather than fruit tendencies. I usually go for the big, bold red, something that you would drink with a great big steak, barbecue ribs, or a juicy burger. Beaujolais-Villages is a red wine that falls into the exact opposite category. That’s not to say that it’s a “sissy” wine or a flat, tasteless wine. In fact, it actually seems more complex than Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Malbec. The flavors that come across or more fleeting and delicate, and the wine itself can be hard to pair with food. But it is extraordinary when consumed by itself. This is truly a wine to savor on its own.

One of my favorite things about Beaujolais-Villages is that it’s a rather refreshing wine. Sometimes a red wine can be more “filling”, overwhelm my palate or just end up being too “heavy”. Beaujolais-Villages does not have that problem whatsoever. It feels and tastes light, but with a nice complexity and flavor transitions that are very pleasant. I have come to enjoy the aroma and flavor of flowers just as much as I enjoy wines that feature spice box aromas and flavors.

So my new favorite “go-to” wine on a given night is a nice Beaujolais-Villages. Now I understand that Beaujolais Cru will taste different, and I intend to sample a few bottles of Beaujolais Cru in the coming month, but Beaujolais-Villages is a good enough wine for me right now. According to wine experts the 2009 vintage of either Beaujolais-Villages or Beaujolais Cru is the best that has been produced in years due to a rather hot summer with little rain. The vines produced grapes of superior quality and ripeness for this sweet, small thick-skinned grape. I would say stock up on wines featuring the Gamay grape and of the 2009 vintage. Though you should definitely sample them rather than randomly buying a case as there are still a few “loser” bottles out there.

In all, this part of my journey with wine has been educational, as well as eye opening. My palate has once again been broadened where wine is considered. I’ve learned to love another red wine, this one light bodied from the Old World, specifically France. And I’ve found yet another wonderful wine to drink after a hard day at work. I would have to say my journey’s coming along quite nicely. What about yours?

2008 Terrazas de los Andes Reserva Malbec, Argentina

(I do not own the rights to this picture)

Color – Light purple with a red rim

Nose – Raspberry, dark cherry, red currant

Taste – This is a really good Malbec for the price, easily one of Costco’s better Malbecs behind the Bodega Flechas de los Andes Gran Malbec. This isn’t nearly as “big” as that Malbec, but what it lacks in over-the-top-flavor it more than makes up for in quality. On the first sip I can taste blackberry, dark cherry, tobacco, and chocolate in good amounts. The initial sip is quite good and nicely complex, and the flavors smoothly transitions into a mid-palate that tastes of dark cherry and cocoa, then a nice medium-to-long finish that shows off the perfect astringency and tannins of the wine with light flavors of tobacco and cut grass. I quite like the level of complexity here. It’s not overpowering and is easy to distinguish the flavors that are transpiring here. The wine is full bodied with a very nice mouthfeel and perfect heat from the alcohol. I would say this is one of my favorite Malbecs I have come across lately. It is amazing by itself or with food (I had it with roast Cornish game hen and it fared quite well).

Overall, this wine has a good QPR and is very pleasing on the palate. I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys a glass of red or a decent Malbec. It is a little more fruit forward than I normally like, but that didn’t hinder the wine as it is also rather complex for a wine at this price point. Its pros balance out its cons and make this a very affordable and drinkable wine. Go sample this now!

Terrazas de los Andes Wines

2007 Finca Flichman Paisaje de Tupungato, 70% Malbec/27% Caberet Sauvignon/3% Merlot, Argentina

Color - Dark red, nearly black

Nose - Blackberry, plum, molasses, alcohol

Taste - This wine is HUGE! Big, bold dark fruit flavors. Think of just about any dark fruit and that flavor is present here. Blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, plum; the list goes on and on. Normally all of that fruit would chase me away, but the heat from the alcohol and very lively tannins come in during the mid-palate and finish and level this wine out quite a lot. I will say the alcohol is just a little too much in this wine and can come on too strong especially during the finish. The wine has a lovely mouthfeel, velvety and spicy at the same time. It's a full bodied red with a definite "weight" to it that you can feel on the tongue. The astringency is a little lacking or perhaps covered up by the alcohol, which is a shame.

Overall, I'd say take a pass on this big, red wine. The QPR here is only fair. I was hoping this would be similar to the Anakena Ona or Concha y Toro Trio. While this wine is big and bold like both of those, it's too alcohol-forward to be rated like the Ona or Trio. If you want a good red blend from South America try on of those two and pass this one by, while it's not a bad wine, it's not the best out there and it's price is higher than the decidedly better competition.

Finca Flichman Wines

2009 Alamos Malbec, Argentina

Color – Dark purple

Nose – Black currant, blackberry

Taste – This is a great big WOW! Every sip brings big, bold fruits rushing over my palate. I can taste blackberry, currant, dark cherry and plum. The texture is very smooth and perfectly astringent. The transition from dark fruit, to warm spices (pepper, vanilla, licorice) and a nice alcohol heat, and finally to a long finish with oak, tobacco, chocolate and dark fruit skins is just amazing. If I didn’t know how much a bottle of this cost I would swear this is a 20 dollar wine, but it’s only half that price. This tastes much better right from the bottle, though it doesn’t lose anything after decanting rather the finish can adopt a slightly bitter flavor and the alcohol gets just a little more heat to it; other than that it’s the same wine. This wine is full bodied; it has a decent “weight” and “warmth” on the tongue, with a nice long finish. I would say you can pair this with food (barbecue, steak, hearty stews and game) or enjoy this all alone and either way have a wonderful glass of wine.

Overall, this is one of the best bottles of wine I’ve sampled under 10 dollars. The QPR is fantastic on this wine, just as much because the quality of this wine is so high than because it is so inexpensive. A lot of that has to do with the double manual selection process the grapes go through before they make it into this wine. Each batch of grapes is manually gone through so that only the finest grapes go into Alamos’ wines. I can taste the difference as this is a superior bottle of Malbec, if not the best I’ve tasted then only second to the 2007 Bodegas Flechas de los Andes Gran Malbec. I would have to say this is a MUST buy and probably one you’d want to keep around the house at all times.

Alamos Wines

2009 Trumpeter by Rutini WInes Malbec, Argentina

Color - Dark purple

Nose - Blackberry, black currant, sweet spices

Taste - This wine is a very good fruit forward Malbec. Upon opening it has a very powerful nose full of black fruit and sweet spices (vanilla, cinnamon, etc), a rich purple color, and flavors to match. The first sip is jam packed with black fruit that melts into a mid-palate of vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar, and caramel with a nice level of astringency, this fades into a medium finish that has some bite and sour, pleasant fruit skins. To sum up there's a lot going on here, but it's not distracting or confusing to my palate. As I said in my mini-review, this is like a nice rich steak with layers of flavor and texture, and this wine would be a great complement to a juicy steak.

Overall, I would definitely pay 14 dollars for this wine though you can probably find it cheaper than that. It has good texture, mouthfeel, and flavor. It's a good QPR, as this wine's quality is a notch above most Malbec's at this price point. The only fault I have with this wine is that it loses some of its depthif you don't drink it in the first day It's still good just not as intense. All-in-all, this one's a definite buy.

Rutini Wines