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 Georges Vigouroux Pigmentum Malbec Cahors, France

Color - Deep purple with a dark red rim

Nose - Wet soil and unwashed lettuce (I know, sorry, this is what I get from this wine)

Taste - This wine got me right from the first sip, actually from the first whiff. There is minimal or muted fruit in the flavor though there are hints of smoky dark berries on the mid-palate and finish. Mostly I taste the following: (in order) damp soil, lettuce and celery, wood smoke, berries, lots of minerals and an almost bitter aftertaste. This is all after decanting the wine for two hours and then again tasting a glass on day two and another glass on day three. There is a strong level of astringency and a lot of tannins. The wine is medium-to-full bodied with a quite long finish. It would probably do well to be paired with a decent steak, savory game dishes or sharp cheese.

Overall, this wine is what you get when you don't pay attention when picking out a new wine. I am familiar with Argentinian Malbec and the flavors of their particular terroir. Until this wine I'd only read about French Malbecs and how they differed from their Argentinian brethren. I now have a first hand experience. This is not a wine I would drink often. It's not bad at all, in fact, it's pretty good just not my preference. I'll stick with the Argentinian Malbcs, but I would recommend this as a good wine with a decent QPR and if you are looking for a change of pace or want to be a little adventurous, try this out.

Georges Vigouroux Wines

2008 Cruz Alta 100% Bonarda Reserve, Argentina

Color - Inky purple

Nose - Strawberry, forest floor, minerals

Taste - This is my third 100% Bonarda and this one is completely different from the other just as much as they were different from each other. I get cherry and strawberry right from the first sip. This is a fruity wine but nothing close to being a fruit bomb, you can just taste the fruit in it more-so than other wines. I'm surprised at the lack of depth because the nose led me to believe it would be more complex. There is heat from the alcohol but it is minimal and fades rather quickly. The wine is medium-bodied with a medium finish. Concerning the finish, I had hoped for some some spice and perhaps more tannins. The tannins in this wine are very light almost invisible, closer to those of a few of the light Merlot's I have had. It's not a bad wine just nothing to on about and definitely overpriced.

Overall, I'd say pass on this one. The Maipe Bonarda and Munoz de Toro Argie are both more satisfying and more complex. The main thing is the flavor and this is too run-of-the-mill and lacks the depth I look for in a wine. Pass on this and pick up a different Bonarda or if you want to take a ride on a varietal that has some similarity to Bonarda try a nice Cabernet Franc.