New year, old me: Cleaning out the storage area, I found this stacked in between a half-consumed bottle of Lagavulin and some bourbon. We've reviewed the 2019 vintage early on in the genesis of this blag, and found it to be quite the value purchase. According to their site, the wine is made up of 85% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 5% Syrah, it is aged in contact with French oak between 6 and 8 months.
Nose: A nice mix of dark cherry and plum notes. Not much trace of oak influence on the first couple of passes, but it shows up within a few minutes in the glass. Can imagine this being a bit out of sorts if I had opened this a year or two ago, but inadvertent aging time has served this well.
Palate: The dark cherry from the nose leads the way; with raspberry showing in subsequent sips. Pronounced acidity and tannins which aren't too aggressive. It's approachable without sacrificing any of the usual characteristics usually affiliated with Malbec. More oak with a little bit of time.
Finish: Medium length, with fruit notes of raspberry and plum expanding, and then spice notes emerge, especially brown sugar.
It's quite a grand bottle and a pleasant surprise. It also makes me wonder if aging more of these Domaine Bousquet will reveal more complexity than I previously thought to exist with their budget lines. There's roughly half of a bottle left, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops overnight.