These reviews are based on samples provided by the winery or organization acting on their behalf.
2013 Bodega del Fin del Mundo Malbec Postales
2012 Familia Zuccardi Malbec Serie A Valle de Uco
2012 Argento Malbec
2012 Alamos Malbec
2012 Familia Zuccardi Malbec Santa Julia Reserva
2011 Bodega del Fin del Mundo Malbec Reserva
2011 Bodegas Escorihuela Gascón Malbec Don Miguel Gascón Reserva
2011 Bodega Norton Malbec Privada Mendoza
Overview
Malbec World Day (MWD) took place for the first time on April 17, 2011, with more than 72 events being held in 45 cities, across 36 countries.
The huge international significance which Malbec World Day has accomplished in each of its editions is also thanks to the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Trade of Argentina.Every year, around the world, more than 40 representatives of Argentina play a major role in the impact of Malbec World Day in the international media.
On April 17, 2012, in its second year, there were more than 142 events in 68 cities across 43 countries around the world. The key celebrations were held in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and Seattle in USA, Ottawa, Toronto, Victoria and Vancouver in Canada, United Kingdom, Holland, Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Brazil, Costa Rica and Buenos Aires (Argentina).
In 2013, 106 events were held in 76 cities across 50 countries. The whole world honored our country’s signature grape.
The fourth edition of Malbec World Day, an international celebration dedicated exclusively to the Argentine grape par excellence. The festivities of 2014 praise the musical culture under the slogan: “To the sound of Malbec” (or “Music for Malbec”). From their ancient origins, Bacchanalian parties appealed to the liberation of the senses through sensuality and movement. Therefore, this year we are to through music to enhance the rhythmic quality of our wine. The tempo of Malbec is like your taste: untamed, intense and vigorous.
Much more information on the event is available on the Wines of Argentina site by clicking here.
Malbec – The Grape
While acreage of the Malbec is declining in France, in Argentina the grape is surging and has become a “national variety” of a sort that is uniquely identified with Argentine wine. The grape was first introduced to the region in the mid 19th century when provincial governor Domingo Faustino Sarmiento instructed the French agronomist Miguel Pouget to bring grapevine cuttings from France to Argentina. Of the vines that Pouget brought were the very first Malbec vines to be planted in the country. During the economic turmoil of the 20th century, some plantings of Malbec were pulled out to make way for the jug wine producing varieties of Criolla Grande and Cereza. But the grape was rediscovered in the late 20th century as the Argentine wine industry shifted its focus to premium wine production for export. As the Argentine wine industry discovered the unique quality of wine that could be made from the grape, Malbec arose to greater prominence and is today the most widely planted red grape variety in the country. As of 2003 there were over 50,000 acres (20,000 hectares) of Malbec in Argentina.
The grape clusters of Argentine Malbec are different from its French relatives, having smaller berries in tighter, smaller clusters. This suggests that the cuttings brought over by Pouget and later French immigrants were a unique clone that may have gone extinct in France due to frost and the phylloxera epidemic. Argentine Malbec wine is characterized by its deep color and intense fruity flavors with a velvety texture. While it doesn’t have the tannic structure of a French Malbec, being more plush in texture, Argentine Malbecs have shown aging potential similar to their French counterparts. The Mendoza region is the leading producer of Malbec in Argentina with plantings found throughout the country in places such as La Rioja, Salta, San Juan, Catamarca and Buenos Aires.
(Courtesy of Wikipedia)
Argentina – The Country
The Argentine wine industry is the fifth largest producer of wine in the world. Argentine wine, as with some aspects of Argentine cuisine, has its roots in Spain. During the Spanish colonization of the Americas, vine cuttings were brought to Santiago del Estero in 1557, and the cultivation of the grape and wine production stretched first to neighboring regions, and then to other parts of the country.
Historically, Argentine winemakers were traditionally more interested in quantity than quality with the country consuming 90% of the wine it produces (12 gallons/45 liters a year per capita according to 2006 figures). Until the early 1990s, Argentina produced more wine than any other country outside Europe, though the majority of it was considered unexportable. However, the desire to increase exports fueled significant advances in quality. Argentine wines started being exported during the 1990s, and are currently growing in popularity, making it now the largest wine exporter in South America. The devaluation of the Argentine peso in 2002 further fueled the industry as production costs decreased and tourism significantly increased, giving way to a whole new concept of enotourism in Argentina.
(Courtesy of Wikipedia)
About Winechat
#winechat is a weekly, Twitter based discussion about something dealing with the world of wine. Generally, each week’s chat session deals with a specific theme and is lead by an “expert” in that area. This is generally a nice way to learn about a region, winery, type of wine, etc.
Mission
What is #WineChat? Click here to learn more.
Description
How do you join #winechat? Using a tool such as Hootsuite, log into your twitter account & follow the #winechat stream. Be sure to include #winechat at the end of each tweet so everyone in the stream can see you!
Grab a glass and join in!
The #winechat schedule is available on their Facebook page by clicking here.
#winechat is hosted by Protocol Wine Studio. For more information on them, click here.
My lineup for the tasting:
2013 Bodega del Fin del Mundo Malbec Postales
The wine has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a plastic stopper.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a bright ruby red color. The very appealing nose has blackberries, raspberries, plums, fresh ground coffee, baking spices, candied violets, and earthy underbrush. This has medium body with soft tannins and decent acidity. On the palate sweet, juicy berries and spice grab hold and slowly allows a floral note to slip into the picture. The finish has decent length with a bit of dark chocolate and earthiness coming into play. This is an easy drinking wine with just a touch of sweetness that would appeal to a lot of wine drinkers especially in a party setting. (86 pts)
2013 Bodega del Fin del Mundo Malbec Postales
2012 Familia Zuccardi Malbec Serie A Valle de Uco
This wine has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a medium ruby to violet color. The soothing nose has crushed berries, black cherries, plums, licorice, chocolate, vanilla and wild flowers. This has medium body with soft tannins and decent acidity. On the palate sweet, juicy fruit and vanilla jump out first with some dark chocolate coming in later. The finish has good length with a floral note adding some depth. This wine leaves a sweet final impression which would make it a good choice for a friendly gathering. (86 pts)
2012 Familia Zuccardi Malbec Serie A Valle de Uco
2012 Argento Malbec
This has 13.9% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a twist off cap.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a violet red color. The open and appealing nose has currants, plums, Asian spices, dark chocolate, underbrush, dried flowers and a touch of smoke. This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity. The palate has a nice mix of fruit and savory notes with an earthy edge coming in on the back end. The finish has good length with a solid dark chocolate element and earthiness balancing out the fruit. This has nice depth. (88 pts)
2012 Argento Malbec
2012 Alamos Malbec
The wine has 13.7% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a medium to deep ruby color. The nose has plums, blackberries, fresh ground espresso and toasty oak. On the palate the plums jump out first and grudgingly allows some ground espresso to slip through. The finish is a touch short and is dominated by toasty oak with a touch of fruit in the background providing some needed sweetness. (85 pts)
2012 Alamos Malbec
2012 Familia Zuccardi Malbec Santa Julia Reserva
This wine has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with an agglomerated cork.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a medium to dark ruby red. The slightly shy nose eventually offers up black cherry, baking spice, toasted oak and violets. This has medium body with moderate tannins and good acidity. This is much more giving on the palate with cherries and spicy oak up front with more spice and nice earthiness coming in on the back end. The finish has good length with the savory elements carrying the load with the fruit in the background. This is not a fruit forward wine, the fruit is a supporting character adding nice sweetness. (88 pts)
2012 Familia Zuccardi Malbec Santa Julia Reserva
2011 Bodega del Fin del Mundo Malbec Reserva
This wine has 14.0% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a nice ruby red color. The exotic nose has blackberries, flinty minerals, roasted herbs, dark bittersweet chocolate, toasty oak and dried wild flowers. This has medium body with moderate to full tannins and good acidity. On the palate mineral laden berries and roasted herbs hit first with dark chocolate and toasty oak coming in later. The finish has good length with the toasty oak and berries carrying the load. This would be nice with a piece of juicy meat, hot off the grill. (88 pts)
2011 Bodega del Fin del Mundo Malbec Reserva
2011 Bodegas Escorihuela Gascón Malbec Don Miguel Gascón Reserva
This wine has 14.8% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a medium to dark ruby color. The slightly different nose has an adhesive tape element to go with crushed blackberries, dark chocolate, minerals and earthy underbrush. This has a medium to full body with moderate to solid tannins and good acidity. On the palate the crushed berries and minerals initially take hold with dark chocolate and earthy elements coming in on the back end. The finish has decent length with a reappearance of the adhesive tape (bret). The apparent bret element will turn a lot of people off but it’s not that distracting for those of us who thinks it can add an element to a wine in small doses. That said, this is pushing the limits of my bret tolerance. (85 pts)
I should note, no one else noticed anything wrong with this wine, so the bret issue I encountered could be related to the dreaded “bottle variation”.
2011 Bodegas Escorihuela Gascón Malbec Don Miguel Gascón Reserva
2011 Bodega Norton Malbec Privada Mendoza
This wine has 14.8% alcohol by volume and the bottle is sealed with a natural cork.
My Tasting Note
The wine is a medium to dark ruby color. The bold nose has crushed berries, game, dark roasted coffee, mocha, vanilla, cherries and potpourri. This has medium to full body with fairly solid tannins and good acidity. On the palate spicy oak and fruit grab hold up front with coffee and mocha coming in later. The finish is fairly long with vanilla and a gamy note coming in. A solid wine that would go well with a hearty meat dish. (89 pts)
2011 Bodega Norton Malbec Privada Mendoza
Closing comments
These wines showed the range of Malbec wines being produced in Argentina. Some were soft, fruity, easy drinking wines perfect for non-critical sipping with friends. Other samples were perfect for casual week night dining with family and friends. Still others were serious wines with a savory edge that would be perfect for the “wine geek” in your life or yourself.
Win an All-inclusive VIP Sonoma Winecation
Underground Cellar is offering you a chance to win an all-inclusive VIP weekend in Sonoma wine country.
The winner will get the following with a value of $6,500:
Weekend getaway for 4 to California’s exclusive Sonoma wine country
Stay at the luxurious 5,500 sq. ft. Villa Terra Nova Retreat
Behind-the-scenes private tour of Iron Horse Vineyards, by winemaker David Munskgard
VIP chef’s dinner at award-winning “the girl and the fig” restaurant
Rountrip airfare, luxury transportation, and many other surprises!
Click here to enter. If you win, you can even include me as one of your friends.
Even if you don’t win the grand prize, there is over $3,000 of gift cards with a value of up to $200 to be given away.
While you’re there, check out Underground Cellar unique wine selling model. You can “buy” a lower cost wine and get upgraded to a much more expensive bottle for free. For example, one of their current offers is $42 for a 2008 Balboa Brioso. If you buy this wine, you could get “upgraded” to 2007 Stonestreet Monument Ridge Cabernet ($60 value), 2009 Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet ($85 value), 2007 Anderson’s Conn Valley Reserve Cabernet ($130 value), 1994 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon ($150 value), or even a 1985 BR Cohn Cabernet Sauvignon Olive Hill (Helen Turley) with a value of $220.
The shipping is also incredible, at 6 bottles, shipping cost $5! Buy 6 more bottles and ship for FREE.
Connect with me
You can follow me on Twitter for more wine info, potential food pairings, and an occasional recipe or two. Be warned, I’m also a sports fan and there are occasional Pittsburgh Penguins, Steelers, and Pirates tweets. I attended the University of South Carolina, so during football season, there will also be some Gamecock posts.
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Cheers!
This is original to CliffsWinePicks.com. Copyright 2013 Cliff’s Wine Picks.
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***** Shameless Self Promotion *****
Here is a link to a YouTube video of me getting “coal” from Santa for being named the “Nicest Person in Social Media” in 2012.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOvQTeGR3-c
Breaking news from Klout:
Cliff’s Wine Picks mentions or other posts
Here are posts, newsletters, blogs or other articles that either mention this site or that I have written:
Snooth
WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN MARCH 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks – White wines for spring.
http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014-5296/?viewall=1#ixzz2z411esZO
Snooth
WINES WE’VE LOVED! Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks
http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-we-yve-loved/?viewall=1#ixzz2yOsinkhN
Snooth
OUR FAVORITE REDS FOR SPRING – The Wine Cognoscenti Recommend
http://www.snooth.com/articles/our-favorite-reds-for-spring/?viewall=1#ixzz2xkH0dfSj
Snooth
WHAT’S A GREAT GRENACHE? – Our Friendly Wine Experts Share Their Favorites!
http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-ys-a-great-grenache-5209/
Snooth
SPRING TIME IS FOR PAIRING – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks
http://www.snooth.com/articles/spring-time-is-for-pairing/
Balzac
Balzac Communications & Marketing – News & Views
http://balzaccommunications.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/y/948F113D27729D90/DF475947E7F379DE2A1BF84ACBDD178B
Snooth
WHAT WE’VE BEEN DRINKING – News and Reviews from Around the Blogosphere
http://www.snooth.com/articles/what-we-yve-been-drinking/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4idw7a
Snooth
WINES THAT RANG OUR BELL IN FEBRUARY 2014 – Our Favorite Wine Writers Share Their Picks
http://www.snooth.com/articles/wines-that-rang-our-bell-in-february-2014/?viewall=1#ixzz2vy4DCh5L
Crave Local
California Wine Reviews: Cline Cellars and Jacuzzi Family Vineyard
http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/california-wine-reviews-cline-cellars-and-jacuzzi-family-vineyard/
Crave Local
Sample Boutique Wines at Affordable Prices with Tastingroom.com
http://www.cravelocal.com/all-favorites/sample-boutique-wines-at-affordable-prices-with-tastingroom-com/
Remember to support your local wine store!
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Notes – I use the “official” Cellar Tracker name for the wines. I use Cellar Tracker to help manage and organize my cellar. I highly recommend checking it out at www.cellartracker.com. Loading you existing cellar is a lot less intimidating than it would first appear. There is a good chance 99% of your wine is already in the system, so you generally only need to enter part of the wine’s name and the system will find it for you.
Prices noted are the prices I paid at the time of purchase. I don’t shop around to find the best prices, but my local store is usually VERY competitive. I generally get case discounts, and since I work there part time, I get a 5% discount. Wines purchased direct from a winery do not include any shipping charges. None of the prices include the sales tax.
All wines that were sent to me free of charge to sample will be noted and I will show suggested prices when available.
Cheers!