Our two-week excursion into Chilean Malbec concludes with the finale of our one-week dive into the Malbecs of Maule Valley. The previous Altamana Grande Reserve was an absolute knockout and one of my favorite bottles of 2022 thus far. Hoping this offering from Casa Donoso carries forward that momentum and ends things on a high note. Let's do this.
Nose: Grilled plum and tobacco to start. On the second sniff, there's some leather and nutmeg that expands in the glass. The plum sticks around but can never manage to overcome the earthier elements.
Palate: Very approachable and shifts from plum to strawberry and raspberry. On the second sip, the baking spice and oak are joined by a bit of pastry crust. Unlike on the nose, the fruit sits around calling the shots while tobacco and oak hang about in the background.
Finish: Medium that is packed with fruit influence, which subsides and more oak comes to the fore.
It's hard to make any sort of assumptions or form a reasonable opinion on solid ground about Chilean Malbecs, or Malbec from any region really, based on the consumption of a few bottles. The big takeaways from this rather green opinion person are that there's plenty of red fruit, some eucalyptus, and a whole lot of unpredictability when it comes to this region, and expectations or assumptions should be checked at the door. It also may be wise to proceed with caution and start with more budget-line offerings before spending money on pricier bottles.
$18