Review: 2015 Chateau de Cayrou Malbec

Once again the end of another week and we have saved the best for last. This Malbec was aged two years in stainless steel and picked from organic grapes right at the bank of the Lot river. 

Nose: Leads with bit notes of raspberry jam immediately out of the bottle and into the glass. Some currant and cassis pop out here with time and help to accentuate the raspberry, rather than detract. 

Palate: Balanced and lovely, with raspberry taking the lead. Very nice texture, soft tannins and juicy acidity. Black currant expands on the next sips, along with some cassis. 

Finish: Long and incredibly satisfying. The raspberry diminishes towards the finish and a bit minerality sticks around. But it never gets too muddled up in one direction or the other.

Probably one of the best Malbecs I’ve had this month, and if we gave out scores, stars or grades this would get high marks. Buy on sight.

$26

Review: 2019 Domaine du Prince L’Envol AOC Cahors

The second of three French Malbecs we will be reviewing this week. Monday’s Vinitro didn’t seem to ruffle feathers or soothe them. This bottle from the Cahors region was aged one year in concrete vats, so there are a few assumptions we already have in mind. Let’s go.

Nose: Of course, there’s no oak influence so the usual notes of vanilla, spice, and oak are replaced with big bursts of black currant and violet before red fruit opens up. A little touch of blackberry after a few more minutes of sitting and swirling.

Palate: Comes in with blackberry, violet, and currant. Very approachable with big and velvety tannins. Fruitier on second and third sips and less floral. A bit of minerality emerges as well.

Finish: Medium to long in length. Starts out fruit-heavy here too but stays floral. After a few more sips, there’s a note of spice that sticks around, and is most welcome.

$22

Review: 2019 Vinitro Languedoc Malbec

We’re off to France this week. As a trio, we agreed to purchase something blind off the shelves without any thought to region or price. And we are starting off with this budget blast.

Nose: Opens up with a burst of raspberry that diminishes with time. Some spice and floral notes emerge from underneath that provided much-needed dimension.

Palate: Plum and raspberry lead the charge here, as on the nose, and there’s a tad bit of minerality following up with subsequent sips. There’s a bit of astringency and really nothing else here to report.

Finish: Abrupt and dry. There’s some black pepper and mild red fruit cresting, but its length keeps anything from being memorable or noteworthy.

I wouldn’t put this on any best-of list, nor would I endorse this if someone asked for an exemplary Malbec from France, but I wouldn’t refuse or downplay it either. It is simple and serviceable.

$14

Review: 2021 Ji Ji Ji Malbec Pinot Noir Blend

 

This is one of the few times I wish I hadn't listened to my shopkeep. 

"You're the Malbec woman. If you don't like it? Money back, but I promise you will"

I am going to try not to sass this one too hard, and be as fair as possible, hoping that maybe this is just a bad bottle. 

Nose: Expired strawberry, scorched coconut. Some rhubarb as it sits in the glass. 

Palate: A tray full of cigarette ashes, orange peel, and more rhubarb. Some strawberry on additional sips, but it's hard to keep returning to this.

Finish: Metallic astringency, and much longer than I would have hoped.

Got the refund and went for something else.

$20

Reviews: A Whole Mess O' Mendoza

I'm not entirely certain we've ever done a flashpoint review like this, but as we are winding down into the summer break (we're taking a few weeks off to do a bit of back-end housekeeping) I figured it would be appropriate to list off some recent tasting notes, off the cuff and immediate, as opposed to in the form by which we've all agreed upon to deliver content to you, the gentle reader. It's nice to break things up from time to time. 

Anyways, some thoughts on a few Mendoza Malbecs from recent places, spaces, tastings, dinners, and shops. Some have already been covered here by other contributors, and others have not. 

2018 Trapiche Medlla Malbec - Decent showing of cherry and black fruit. Straightforward with no complexity, but a good representation of Mendoza that could be a nice daily sipper or something to serve with burgers from the grill. $18

2019 Alpamanta Natal Organic Malbec - They need to serve this over ice, sno-cone style, and call it "Raspberry Rush" because that's all that's here from start to finish. For some reason I can see George Bluth being really into this. $15

2021 La Posa Pizzella Malbec - We already know and love this one, but I'm not skipping it based on our ongoing love affair. So much complexity that it's a steal at three times this price, but I'm so glad it's still within an accessible, affordable price range for everyone to enjoy. Herbs and berries are all over the place with a decent amount of acidity. Buy three, store one, and drink the other two immediately. $20

2019 Tapiz Alta Collection - A lovely blend of roasted plum and tobacco leaf on the nose with some nice oak and vanilla running throughout. Big and surly, and works incredibly well with a Montreal-rubbed steak. Would love to give this one a revisit in the winter months. $20

2021 Argento Minimalista Malbec - Decent acidity and body with rosemary, minerality, and strawberry on the nose. Minimalism remains en vogue and fashionable. Take that how you wish. $8

2019 Piatelli Trinita Grand Reserve - Almost reminiscent more of a US or French Malbec, with red fruit, vanilla, and a touch of cream on the nose. But then it gets freaky on the palate, with heavy pepper and black fruit showing up to the party. It's complex and has a heck of a lot of oak on a very long finish, but a fun bottle to spend a few hours enjoying while surfing through the Criterion Channel. $30

2021 Domaine Bousquet Virgen Natural Organic - Sweeter than most, with a load of anise and bing cherry on the palate. It's interesting to see how much this contrasts with other Domaine offerings, as this is the most puckery of the bunch. Might be a good introduction for non-Malbec drinkers. $14

Review: 2021 Viejo Isaias Malbec Clasico

 

Was tipped to this by a reader of the site, who dropped us an email (thanks!) and I immediately jumped on the case. A small-batch producer in one of my favorite areas of Mendoza and it's under $20? Sounds like a plan to me. Let's see how this goes after a 45-minute decant.

Nose: A nice mix of juicy berries: blackberry, raspberry and strawberry, with the strawberry dominating at first pass, and receding with a bit of time. On second sniff the blackberry comes to the front and with a bit more time there's a slight forest floor note: a blend of wet leaves and moss. 

Palate: Leads with the raspberry with the blackberry and earthy notes trailing behind.  Approachable with medium body and ripe tannins. A bit of smoke makes an appearance and adds some complexity to the berry burst in the middle of the rainforest.

Finish: Abrupt and confusing. Quite short, and the earthy influence disappears quickly, leaving only the red fruit behind for a finish.

I couldn't help but want more of what they were selling. If purchasing is in the cards, it would be better off buying and forgetting about this for a few years. Right now, it's far too young. 

$16

Review: 2021 Etchart Cafayate Estate Malbec

 

So our coverage of the Salta region has been quite meager, and we'll be looking to remedy that (sure, sure) in the next few months (see: Cahors). Possibly a summer project? I suppose it will all depend on regional availability. Speaking of regions: here's a catch up page on Salta that is better than anything I could construct this morning. 

Nose: Leads with very ripe bing cherry. Not much sign of complexity at first, but as it sits there are aromas of raisin, clove and minerality joining in. A bit more spice with time as the oak finally pulls itself from under (note: this was aged 6 months in French Oak and additional 6 months in bottles.)

Palate: Soft, very approachable with nice texture. Much like on the nose the cherry comes in first and other elements follow suit. Cherry, raisin on first sip but some minerality and spice on subsequent sips. Unfolds with time and reaches full power at about 45 minutes in, if you have that sort of time. 

Finish: Long, but this is where things get interesting: the cherry takes a back seat to the plum which carries it through to the finish. Some wet rock and a light touch of floral notes emerging with time. 

This took some time and patience to get to maximum volume, but it was worth it. I'm curious to see how other offerings from the region compare, flavor-wise.

$20

Bodegas Etchart

A modest rant to break up the reviews

Friends of mine have asked if I am tired of perpetual Malbec drinking. After four years of going full speed into this pursuit, the answer still remains "no". There's still so much out there to explore in this one corner of space that I feel as if I'm still just getting started. And I love it. It's true there's only a finite amount of vineyards, processes, and creators out there with this specialization, but within that constraint is so much more than I realize. It's a constant and daily fascination for me. Is it getting more and more expensive by the day? Absolutely. 99% of the reviews on this site are purchased. The samples we've reviewed products upon are usually enjoyed in tasting rooms or at social gatherings. 

The problem with a site like this is the limits of language and descriptors. We tend to find ourselves rehashing and exhausting the vernacular which paints an accurate portrait of the things we are sampling. It's not exactly litigation on language and our sensory processing abilities, but it does threaten to creep into a site like this and make it monotonous and predictable, threatening to instill boredom amongst the regular readership. 

So how do we remedy this? We are not exactly sure yet. We've had discussions galore about this on the Slack chat, and no real solution presents itself other than completely scrapping our template for a second time and devising a third way to present things. 18 months in, we are pretty pleased with how the site looks, feels, and performs. It's an ongoing discussion, and one we delight in. We are still not interested in community building, or really going for reach on social platforms. It's just too much work for something which is supposed to be enjoyable. But reconsidering the language of wine reviews is a subject that we continue to dig deeper into, beyond just sampling and evaluating Malbecs. 

For the first time ever, we are also open to other reviewers who'd like to join our anonymous tribe. Email us at the address on the contact page. 

 

Review: Trivento Wines

It has been quite some time since we published a multiple-bottle review from a winery. But our local big box shop was running a sale on the brand, so we went in for three. Going to eschew our usual formatting for this round and do our best to keep it simple. Also look at those damn burgers in this press photo! Ain't those legit?!?

2018 Trivento Gaudeo ($25) - Originating from a single vineyard Tunuyán, for some reason, this reminds me vaguely of a really nice offering from Clos de los Siete. Incredibly approachable with blue fruit coming through at first, but then a nice kick of herbs midway, heading towards a long finish that isn't short on flavor. If Clos wasn't so blended, I could see this being what it would taste like at 100% full-strength malbec. Definitely wouldn't say no to another bottle of this, and glad I took the dive. 

2021 Trivento Reserve ($11) - 100% Malbec very fruit-forward at first but then a bit of oak and vanilla mellow things out. There's quite a bit of depth to the palate, and the finish is incredibly satisfying for those who enjoy their malbec on the darker, richer side of the spectrum. 

2018 Golden Reserve - Oddly distinctive from the other two bottles, with more of an emphasis on red fruit throughout. Big body and tannins with a higher acidity than the other two, and probably the most straightforward of the three. Not a lot of complexity going on here, but it makes up for that in brute strength and brightness.

Trivento.com

Review: 2018 Midnight Cellars Malbec Solstice

Another new-to-us domestic offering, this time from Paso Robles' Midnight Cellars. I'm not sure what my other two colleagues are up to this week, as the slack chat has been rather quiet. So it may be a grab bag week with no particular theme of which to speak. 

Nose: A bit closed off at first, but there's a rather large blast of blueberry which opens up after a few minutes. Earthy notes of tobacco leaf, rosemary and dried oregano emerge on later passes. This needs about 20-30 minutes to present itself properly, so plan accordingly. 

Palate: Comes in with blueberry and a touch of blackberry. The sweetness is joined by notes of white pepper and rosemary. Eventually, balance is achieved between the sweet and savory. Medium-level acidity, grippy tannins and body. 

Finish: Medium. The spice and fruit keep one another company for a while, with the fruit outlasting the pepper and rosemary. Just a faint bit of oak too towards the finish.

A decent, serviceable bottle with few flaws to speak of, but nothing to mark the occasion as memorable. I'm still concerned with the price point of malbec in the United States, as I am not fully convinced this is worth the cost per glass. 

$52

Midnight Cellars

Review: 2020 Justin Reserve Malbec

One of the bigger questions that always lingers in the back of my mind: Why do American malbecs run at such a price premium? It's not as if the quality of these wines run superior to Argentina or sometimes even French and Chile malbecs. It seems as if there's a weird luxury inflation tax that makes purchasing these bottles a bit of a risk. Especially when running into the $40 territory. 

Was completely hesitant to pull the trigger on this, but took a leap of faith as some of the non-Malbec Justin wines I've tried have been absolutely delightful. Really hoping this is the case with this Reserve.

Nose: Weirdly, it's not immediately distinctive as a South American or French malbec. Usually, it shifts in the direction of red fruit or dark fruit. Not the case here. Floral at first -- violet and lavender but then almost immediately it shifts to blueberry and plum. A nice touch of menthol and tobacco leaf with a bit of time in the glass. Nothing to pronounced, but subtle enough to provide something of interest. Quite aromatic and full of drama.

Palate: Incredibly approachable with great texture. The sweetness of the blueberry comes in first, then shifting to raspberry and cassis. The fruit takes a back seat on second and third sips, with notes of leather, cocoa powder and a burst of mint cut in and take over. A bit of toasted oak as well. Complex and attention-grabbing with each sip. Medium acidity and a decent amount of tannins frame thing nicely.

Finish: Long and decadent. The sweetness returns to the fore, but the oak and spice are just below serving as a counterbalance that never gets too intrusive. With time the darker fruit expands but the sweetness diminishes. 

I liked this way more than I thought I was going to. Surprisingly worth the price, and a nice bottle for a special dinner that's big and hearty. 

$50

Justin Wine

Review: 2015 Château du Cayrou Cahors Malbec

One of the very few criticisms we receive from readers is the fact that we do not distribute enough coverage to regions beyond Argentina. This is fair, but also indicative of the current situation when it comes to availability in the regions where two of the three writers reside. The third writer, by and large, does not seem to enjoy what Malbecs this country has to offer, so we take what we can get based on what's around. This is 100% Côt from Cahors and is certified organic.

Nose: A very dark ruby color that foreshadows cherry and strawberry and, true to form, delivers as such. Not much shifting from this point onward, even with about 30 minutes of time in the glass. It shifts from balanced to more of a darker cherry note, but that's all folks.

Palate: Arrives as advertised on the nose, but with a hint of currant and a light touch of soil. Easy drinking, very approachable with big acidity and easy tannins. More strawberry with time, almost a red fruit punch blend. 

Finish: Medium length. The strawberry builds and dominates at first but as it winds down the currant and raspberry take its place. 

An inoffensive bottle, but no thrill-seeking to be found. It was quite thin, almost like a Malbec Lite, but nothing bordering unsavory. 

$25

Chateau de Cayrou

Review: 2021 RJ Vinedos Reunion Malbec

We recently reviewed another of RJ's wines (see: MDZ) that didn't exactly send fireworks shooting off into the sky, so we're taking a crack at another bottle in their affordably priced lines in hopes that things will improve. Approaching with caution. 

Nose: A big old red cherry blast at first, but with time in the glass it settles down a bit to reveal a bit of milk chocolate and orange zest, which is a bit surprising but nothing seems to be off the table here. The sweetness from the initial eventually calms down and strikes an approachable balance.

Palate: Concentrated cherry juice or Jolly Rancher candy at first. Most certainly needs to sit for about 10-15 minutes before subsequent sips. Thankfully, the cherry diminishes and notes of roasted plum, chocolate and baking spice bring some much-welcome balance. Bright acidity and grippy tannins. 

Finish: Long and filling. As advertised by the palate, but the cherry sustains itself throughout. 

A definite cherry bomb in more ways than one. Would consider purchasing at half this price. 

$20

RJ Vinedos

Review: 2021 Zuccardi Serie A Malbec

Zuccardi is one of the powerhouses of Argentina Malbec. Year after year it consistently produces the good stuff.

Nose: Dark fruit (of course) and baking spice on first pass, and with some air and time white pepper. Things really don't deviate from this path on the next few sniffs, either. 

Palate: Big blackberry right from the onset. Light on tannins and acidity. Notes of oak and garden herbs eventually arrive after a few sips. Quite approachable and really doesn't need decanting (although I'd suggest a solid thirty minutes)

Finish: Lengthy and pretty much as advertised from the nose and palate. The blackberry takes a bit of a backseat and the oak does some heavy lifting but towards the end, it's all spice and dark fruit. 

It may be the entry point into the world of Zuccardi and it follows the formula for Mendoza pretty faithfully, but I assure you things only look up from here. That's not to say this is bad, but Zuccardi is a gold mine waiting for prospecting.

$17

Zuccardi Wines

Review: 2020 Gouguenheim Reserva Malbec

At this point, I hear this narrative so constantly it borders on sarcastic comedy: a successful, well-to-do person in the finance industry gets tired of the rat race and decides to purchase a vineyard to enjoy a different sort of life. I mean seriously, how many times have we heard this by now? Hallmark has even made movies around this premise. But that's what happened with Gouguenheim, which is based in the Tupungato region. It's a small winery, purchased in 2002, and only 98 acres. It's 100% Malbec, aged in French Oak.  

Nose: Red cherry, but with a sweetness that would not be out of place in a box of wax candy. Shifts more towards raspberry as it sits. There's a little bit of oak making an appearance but backs off after a few minutes. A gentle note of coffee grounds as it sits for a few minutes more. 

Palate: Comes in with light oak and a big blast of cherry. Slightly thin texture, with a decent amount of acidity. Earthier on the second sip, with the oak amplifying, and bringing along a bit of clove with it. After a few minutes, the oak fades down in the mix again and notes of cherry and rose petals take things to the finish line.

Finish: Medium to long. There's a slight medicinal quality that cuts through the fruit and oak, and it disrupts everything which was working harmoniously together up to this point.  

Perhaps I was the recipient of a poorly stored bottle, but the ending was so disruptive to the whole experience that I didn't bother going for a second glass. Maybe we'll do a revisit in time. 

$17

Gouguenheim Winery

Review: 2021 Diseno Malbec

Not 100% sure who is behind the production of this wine, but a quick search reveals its owned by Constellation Brands (if google is to be believed). This is the name behind Mondavi and two of my favorite California non-Malbec wines of late: Harvey and Harriet and My Favorite Neighbor. Moving on, according to other sources Diseno stems from "Two of Argentina’s most highly respected vignerons supply[ing] Diseño Malbec from old growth vineyards in Mendoza." So it's anyone's guess after that, really. Catena? Balbo? Zuccardi?  

Nose: A very Mendoza mix of blackberry, baking spice and topsoil on the nose, but needs about a 20 to 30-minute decant to go that deep. Otherwise, it's blackberry and balsamic. With time, there's also a faint trace of tobacco leaf. 

Palate: The blackberry comes in first with earthier elements following suit on second and third sips. Very approachable with light acidity and slightly grippy tannins. Over time the blackberry gets more tart, but oak and spice help to keep things from getting too out of hand.

Finish: Medium length. Nothing extraordinary or inoffensive.

The beauty of this bottle is which vineyards and in what percentages. This makes for a fun party gift if you're a diehard Malbec fan. Otherwise, this is just basically a run-of-the-mill bottle that isn't knocking anyone's socks off but isn't undrinkable.

$12

Review: 2021 Salentein Reserve Malbec

It is surprisingly hard to get Salentein in my neck of the woods without having to order online, which is usually my last resort in sourcing. 

Nose: A blend of cherry and plum at first. But after a bit of time things get interesting and quite complex, with blackberry, chocolate and tobacco leaf cutting through. Things are a bit erratic at first but things settle down eventually, with the dark fruit leading the way

Palate: Comes in with the dark fruit (plum and blackberry) leading the way, with more of the oak influence peering through on subsequent sips. Medium tannins and acidity, but quite approachable on the whole. A surprising touch of bay leaf arrives with some air. Complex and ever-changing with each sip and quite a challenge to pin down.

Finish: Long and lingering, Vanilla, chocolate and tobacco all peer through by the finish, but the oak and blackberry frame things nicely from start to finish.

It's an incredibly exciting bottle, challenging without ever steering into the discordant territory. Hopefully distribution expands and it becomes more than an annual appearance in my neck of the woods.

$36

Bodegas Salentein

Review: 2021 Finca de los Padrillos Malbec

Today, another Catena wine but not the one you're thinking: this time its Ernesto Catena. This is a 100% Mendoza Malbec aged 6 months, 50% French oak and 50% American oak.

Nose: Surprisingly more dark cherry than blackberry at first, although some of that pops up in time. As it sits, there's a touch of violet and dried mushroom. 

Palate: Dark cherry leads but with time notes of plum, and clove cut through. The oak influence finally arrives after some time and a few sips. Approachable, with medium acidity and tannins that are drying. 

Finish: Short to medium. The dark fruit remains, but there's some pepper and oak below which carry the final word. 

Pretty straightforward Malbec. Accessible, and priced decently. Nothing too exceptional but nothing painful to report, either. Not undrinkable but don't arrive expecting thrills. 

$15

Padrillos

Panic on the Streets of Uco

The headline reads a bit clickbait-ish, but the story is enough to make us mildly fretful:

"Argentina Had One of Its Smallest Grape Harvests in Its History—Here’s What That Means"

Blame for the headline to be placed squarely on editors because Jesica Vargas is a) one of the top writers on wines from Argentina, and b) we trust her opinions. She's not one for hyperbole. But either way, the news about the crops coming in lower is mildly concerning. Not going to start stocking or hoarding, just yet. But it may start to become a challenge to find new favorites or everyday sippers under current price points.

Vargas continues:

"Both winemakers agree that the stocks will be lower than normal. However, Ferreyra points out that wine sales in the local and international markets are dropping, and that bulk wine is following the same fate. Because of this, she says, “The low stock and a decrease in wine production will be balanced by less demand from the markets.” 

Maybe this is a one-year deal. Maybe this is a new long-term reality. Either way, it's a not-so-subtle reminder to enjoy the present moment with a bit more intensity. 

Review: 2021 La Posta Pizzella Malbec

Back in the nascent times of this site, Pizzella was one of the first reviews we took a crack at. It was delivered by a contributor no longer with the site, and was ripe with basketball and Steely Dan comparisons. We're going to dial that back with this year's consideration. So here we are with another installment of "La Posta Adventures with (La) Post(a) Malbec".

Nose: A very Mendoza mix of blackberry, dark chocolate and a touch of spice. As it sits a slightly peppery character emerges, but it is subtle. With time, some oak emerges and the berry becomes more pronounced.

Palate: As advertised by the nose, but with the dark berry element emphasized over everything else. Incredibly approachable with a lovely texture. The chocolate and spice expand but there's a floral characteristic appearing for the first time that keeps everything together very nicely.

Finish: Long. Gets much more peppery as time goes on, and it keeps going until the absolute ending. 

In an earlier review, we wished that Catena would expand this other program to growers in different regions of Argentina. That hope still stands, because I'm sure there's still plenty out there to explore, enjoy and discover. But when it comes to diversity, value, and quality, right now it is hard to knock this out in the center of the Venn diagram. I worry that as this line becomes more and more popular and interest in Malbec continues to grow, the price will only hike up on this and get priced out of reach. But until then, I'm going to be picking this up in quantities to age. 

La Posta Vineyards

$16