Remember last week when we said it was beneath us to review a bunch of cheap bottles and then trash them? That's one of the challenges when running an anonymous blog with three authors: we're going to be full of complications and contradictions. I picked this one up while shopping for a nice bottle of Foursquare, which is funny because my current residence does not, and most likely never will, have a nice bottle of Foursquare to sell.
This Malbec arrives from San Juan, and I'm wondering if we've reviewed anything up to this point from this region. I don't think we have, so it will be interesting to see how it contrasts with other areas.
Nose: Raisin, tomato, caramel. As it sits there's a note of pepper pulling through, mainly from the oak aging process. The earthier notes recede and the sweeter elements pull themselves forward.
Palate: The oak leads the way and red fruit gets brighter with time. Decent acidity and tannins, but little complexity or surprises to be had here. Almost like you'd see this on the menu at Macaroni, but way over priced.
Finish: Medium. As it fades there's a hint of raspberry and vanilla that makes for an enjoyable conclusion.
This didn't pan out the way I had hoped, and I am wondering if I needed to let it air out for longer than 30 minutes so things may settle down a bit longer. So I guess give it a try if you're feeling up for an adventure. But there are way too many bottles out there to explore, and I have zero interest in a mulligan any time soon.
$11