My Relationship with Argentinean Malbec

I don’t recall the very first glass of Argentinean Malbec I ever had, but I am guessing it was in the early 2000’s. I likely picked it from a menu based on the description of it coming from a wine region on the rise and having been made from a well known French grape.

I do know that the empty bottle I pulled off a display shelf earlier today was one of the first ones I ever bought to enjoy at home. I vaguely recall pairing it with a steak covered in a red wine gorgonzola sauce that I was fascinated with at the time. I just took a photo of the label (above) to completely ferment this memory.

Recently I have ventured to make my own Malbec. Anytime I set off to make a new wine I am either inspired by a wine of the type and style I have already enjoyed, or I go out and find as many as I can to provide sensory cues that will be my guide. Argentinean Malbecs had not disappointed me up to that point so I set my sites on a few.

Early in April of 2010 we had dinner at Le Milsa, a Brazilian churrascaria, in downtown Montreal. I had read several very positive reviews of the Bodega Norton Malbec but found it was not available in NH where I live. My dinner partners approved of the selection when I requested it, and reiterated their approval upon tasting it. I found it to be subtle and focused, making a great match with the grilled meats I was enjoying.

Later in the month we opposed the Bodegas Escorihuela Don Miguel Gascon Malbec 2008 and the Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Lunlunta 2007. The intensity of the Catena selection resulted in it being less talked about. I decided to shoot high and try for the Catena’s style fully knowing that my source of fruit and winemaking experience would be the reasons why I would or wouldn’t get there. The Gascon was a weird one, reallyonly being pleasurable with a lot of breathing time.

My homemade Malbec is coming along nicely, but it will need much more time before I can decide how well I have done.

My relationship with Argentinean Malbec goes back a few years and I hope it will extend for many more. The quality and selection of these wines is consistently increasing, providing all the fodder for continued adventures. If you haven’t yet embraced Malbec from Argentina, get to it!

Cheers!

--Jason

Malbec Lineup

We gathered some friends for a mutual birthday celebration and used the occasion to taste and compare three different Malbecs. Next month I will be making my first Malbec, and I was interested in trying several different selections and collecting feedback on the aromas, flavors and textures that I might aim to created in my own wine.

We tasted the following wines:

Bodegas Escorihuela Don Miguel Gascon Malbec Mendoza 2008 (Argentina, $14.99)
Clayhouse Vineyards Paso Robles 2008 Malbec (California, $13.99)
Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Mendoza Lunlunta 2007 (Argentia, $23.99)

The food pairings included a cheese plate containing, brie, smoked gouda and dill havarti with crusty bread, oil and crackers. We moved on to dinner of Margot's meatloaf, bacon & cheddar potato skins and broiled asparagus. Dessert was chocolate cake.

First up was the Gascon which due to lack of aeration, bad serving temperature or something else tasted flat to everyone. It presented itself with very low acidity, mild aromas and flavors and Richard comment it tasted "rusty". Pete and I returned to it later and it had opened up a bit, but still tasted off and lifeless. As I write this, the next day, I am tasting it again and it is more aromatic and flavorful, although still a bit understated. All of this suggests some air is necessary before serving this wine. This wine was underwhelming enough that no food pairing notes were taken.

Next in line was the Clayhouse, which from the very first sniff caught everyone's attention. Dark purple in color it was a pleasure to pour this wine and imagine what aromas and flavors awaited me. I found this wine a bit drier and more acidic than the Gascon, but with the intense fruit in this wine those attributes were well needed. The group shared thoughts on the fruit with my suggestion of raspberry garnering some objections. Cindy suggested black currants and Wayne added choke cherries, with currant being widely agreed upon. This selection went very well with the dill havarti for me, the spiciness of wine matching very well with the hit of dill in the cheese. I finished this bottle earlier today and found it even more pleasant with some air.

The final selection was the Catena Lunlunta. I specifically selected this more expensive wine to evaluate how price affected our experiences with the wines. The aromas of the wine were less pungent than the Clayhouse, but felt cleaner and more focused. This wine had the fullest body of the three and offered more refinement in the flavors as well. This wine was spicier than the two previous and slightly more tannic with a noticeable "teeth cleaning" sensation. It paired well with the brie matching the mild earthy flavors in the wine with the usual funky brie flavors. Wayne clearly enjoyed this bottle, specifically asking for it to be passed his way again during dinner. I very much enjoyed this wine and would buy it again for a special occasion, but I would be more apt to stock the Clayhouse as my house Malbec.

In the end the Clayhouse inspired the most conversation. Pete and I returned to it a bit later and found that although the air had helped it open, the increase in temperature made it taste harsh and hot.

This was a very fun and rewarding experience. I took a away a good impression of the range Malbec can span and a better understanding of where I can hope to take my home crafted version.

Cheers!

--Jason