3 Malbecs- Because it's cold outside and Malbec helps...

Good evening everyone,

This evening I am writing to you regarding a trio of Mendoza Malbecs I have tried over the past few days.  They represent three separate price points and in fact three styles that I find essential to Argentine wine.  The best things tend to come in threes, so why shou
ldn't Argentine wine follow suit?

I'll distil how I feel about these three wines into very straightforward terms here; the chocolate covered sour cherry; the smoke from the parrilla; the Parker-pointer.

1. Malbec 2011 from Argento-  This is a Malbec which (perhaps inadvertently) harkens back to Argentina's past.  The colour is bright and pretty, not opaque in the slightest but certainly deep.  The aromas are of sour cherries initially and while they hold up, the nose picks up some dusty cocoa and earth along the way.  For me that is Italian all the way.  It reminds me of some lovely Barbera d'Alba. It is delightful and begs for a burger off the grill.  Even a bolognese would suit it just fine.  Its a wonderful wine for a great price.

2. 154 Malbec 2011 from Alberti- I'll go ahead and call it fitting, but there is a remarkable aroma drifting off the glass which makes an impression before I've even properly had a look at the colour.  Smoked pork.  Bacon or sausage or even grilled lamb chops... At any rate it evokes mental images of the grill and coming from a nation so thoroughly entrenched in it's outdoor cooking traditions, this makes perfect sense.  The primary fruit is restrained but the secondary aromas are forward and intriguing.  Smoky and appetising, a glass of this before attacking the Churrasco... there will be nothing left on the plate!

3. Malbec 2011 Primus- This is the Parker wine!  Inky colour introduces a nose of big, bright blackberry and blackcurrant fruit jumping out of the glass alongside some lovely smoky spices.  there is a note of leather but it remains confidently in a supporting role, as the earthiness holds back as well.  After a while the barrel and overt fruit aromas blow off a bit and the wine becomes a bit more Bordelaise in style (or perhaps Cahors would be a better comparison).  It is elegant and balanced and with time a certain gravel driven minerality emerges which even begs a comparison to Graves or Madiran.

All three are exceptional wines for their niches.  They are all undeniably Malbec, but they all fill a separate role in their approach to the variety.  The more I read and learn about Argentine wine and the journey of Malbec, the more I come to love the variety.  I'll leave you with this delightful picture which should remind us all just what Malbec is really for!

Much love,

G

My food photography skills leave something to be desired but this mini-asado was awesome!

Wines tasted in Paris

Hey Everyone,

Today I am putting out the tasting notes for a few rather nice wines I have had the chance to try during my travels in Paris.  These are not particularly available in the UK, but hopefully when a better representation of their styles becomes available, you will think back and recall that you heard good things about these appellations.

First off, I spent my first night searching the streets for a good wine bar, and after realising that such a thing in Paris is tremendously expensive, I looked instead for a good wine shop, which I was fortunate enough to find.  The first wine I tried was a 2009 Rigal Cahors.  Made up of 70% Malbec and 30% Merlot, this wine was big and dark, earning it's historic title of 'Black Wine' which dates to the middle ages.  It had aromas of black berries, and smoke, currants and flint as well as the classic Malbec aromas of clove, coffee and cocoa after a few hours left to breathe.  It was deep, bold and satisfying and representative of a style of wine which I hope makes it more regularly to the rest of the world.

Next I was able to get a hold of the second tasty Bergerac of my trip, being a 2009 Roc de Miremont.  I was interested in this one in particular as it was not Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot based, but rather it focused on Cabernet Franc as the lead varietal.  It was softer than the standard Bergerac wines with which I am familiar, but it was definitely complex and pleasing on par with the rest of the Bordeaux I experienced on this trip.

The last wine I will write about here is the most recent of my trip, being that I am drinking it now..  It is a 2011 Château Auney L'Hermitage Graves Blanc.  It was about 10 euros and for the price I found the most satisfying white of the trip.  It was oaky with hints of peach, lychee and a bit of that rocky gravel character that does such a service to Graves wine.  It was refreshing and possessed a zesty acidic edge allowing balance for it's big, opulent flavours.  Over all a pleasing wine.  I wish with all my heart that oaky Bordeaux blanc under £10 were a reality in Britain. If I could make a wine in a particular style, it would be along the lines of Bordeaux Blanc.  Great stuff.

Anyways, there were plenty more wines tasted in restaurants and from bottles during my trip to Paris but I only wanted to highlight these three for their general interest.  They are styles of wines which should be available to the punter in Britain because they fill a gap in the market.  I hope you get to try some interesting French wines in the future and if you find something of interest, please send your discoveries to me at grapepresswines@gmail.com.

Much Love,
G