Wine & Spirits - February 2012 - (Page 56)

YEAR’S BEST ARGENTINE MALBEC & BLENDS Our blind panels tasted 275 new-release malbecs from Argentina over the past 12 months. Our critic for Argentina, Patricio Tapia, rated 25 as exceptional (90+) and 11 as Best Buys. Find a complete list of wines tasted and all reviews at wineandspiritsmagazine.com. | Tierra Prometida $ 2007 Mendoza Clásico Malbec Blended from old vines in the Uco and Agrelo valleys, this malbec has a sustained herbal touch in its aromas and ﬂavors. It ﬁlls out with a rich, juicy cherry character and lively acidity. For steak. (W&S, 6/11) Frontier Wine Imports, Dover, NJ 107812 | Tikal $ MALBEC 107309 | Rutini $ $ | Achaval Ferrer 2008 La Consulta Uco Valley Finca Altamira Malbec Finca Altamira is an 80year-old vineyard at some 3,500 feet of altitude. It grows concentrated malbec while sustaining acidity in the grapes—as in this 2008, a wine that moves between violet notes and red fruit ﬂavors with an intoxicating depth. It ﬁlls the mouth with ripe raspberries and sweet spices, an intense wine that needs four to ﬁve years in the cellar to begin to show its complexity. (W&S, 10/11) TGIC Importers, Woodland Hills, CA 106433 2008 Mendoza Apartado Gran Malbec Grown in three vineyards in the Uco Valley where the vines range from 15 to 86 years old, this malbec contrasts sweet fruit and coarse tannins with refreshing acidity. The sweetness makes it seductive, while the texture can take on any roast meat. Pasternak Wine Imports, Harrison, NY 106431 2010 Mendoza Natural Malbec Made from organically grown grapes, this malbec brims with notes of violets and soft red fruit. A nervous acidity makes it juicy and approachable while the ﬂavors run deep and long. For an Argentine asado. Vine Connections, Sausalito, CA 107308 | Achaval Ferrer $ | Fincas Don Martino $ | Carmelo Patti $ 2006 Luján de Cuyo Malbec Carmelo Patti is a legend in the Mendoza wine scene, a producer who believes that malbec needs bottle age to reach maturity. In this 2006, that age brings out tobacco and coﬀee scents while the fruit sustains its freshness, bathing the wine in subtle lavender aromas. It has the tension of a wine designed for refreshment and the ﬂavor depth of a wine built to last— one that could evolve for another ﬁve years. (W&S, 6/11) Southern Wine Group, Bend, OR 107310 2006 Mendoza Reserva Viña Violeta Old Vine Malbec Grown in Agrelo, the sweet warmth of this malbec surrounds scents of violets and cherries in syrup. It expands on the palate into seductive depths. The youthfully rough tannins will meld with two to three years in bottle. (W&S, 6/11) Southern Wine Group, Bend, OR 107375 2008 Medrano Mendoza Finca Mirador Malbec As ripe and sweet as a black fruit mole, this malbec ﬁlls every corner of the palate with its licorice-scented fruit, hints of violets and soft cherry notes. An imposing wine for slow-cooked meats. (W&S, 10/11) TGIC Importers, Woodland Hills, CA 106421 | Añoro $ | Loscano $ | Achaval Ferrer 2008 Mendoza Private Reserve Malbec (Best Buy) Beyond its scents of coﬀee and almonds, this has an intriguing earthy note that gains prominence as the wine evolves with air. The tannins and acidity are potent, partnering to hide the wine’s fruit for now. For the cellar. Vinocopia, Richﬁeld, MN 107854 2008 Mendoza El Regalo Malbec Grown in the Uco Valley on 70-year-old vines, this requires hours of air to reveal notes of cherries and herbs. Peppery and tense, its ﬁrm, compact structure will beneﬁt from cellar time. (W&S, 6/11) Vine Connections, Sausalito, CA 107478 | Benvenuto de la Serna $ $ | Renacer 2007 Valle de Uco Malbec (Best Buy) Monumental in its extract and concentration, this takes time to reveal its red fruit scents and tense, wild fruit ﬂavors. Decant it for beef ribs. Cannon Wines, San Francisco, CA $ 2008 Perdriel Mendoza Finca Bella Vista Malbec Finca Bella Vista was planted in the early 20th century on the southern bank of the Mendoza River. It gives elegant rather than powerful wines—this 2008 moderate in scale, its rich red fruit ﬂavors seasoned with violet aromas. The texture oﬀers ﬁrm resistance: a red to drink with wild game or to cellar for three to four years. (W&S, 10/11) TGIC Importers, Woodland Hills, CA 106556 2008 Mendoza Renacer Malbec From 50year-old vines in Luján de Cuyo, this requires a lot of air to move beyond the wood and ripe ﬂavors. Slowly, the ﬂavors become red, a tight acidity projecting the notes of strawberries and black cherries forward like a breath of fresh air. A modern wine for roast duck. Winebow, NY 106876 | Salentein $ 107839 | Bela Lugosi $ 2007 Salta Malbec From old vines grown at an elevation of 7,000 feet, this wine honors its name in the fruit’s dark side, a thicket of black cherry ﬂavors so dense and compressed that the strong acidity battles to prevail. It needs at least three years in the cellar before bringing it into the light. (W&S, 6/11) Undiscovered Wines, Habra Heights, CA 107431 56 W I N E & S P I R I T S F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 2 2009 Mendoza Valle de Uco Reserve Malbec Grown at 3,600 feet in Tunuyán, the fresh eﬀect of the altitude is not enough to counteract the warmth of the vintage, which packs this malbec with black fruit ﬂavors and sweet spice. Still, it sustains ﬁrm acidity, shaping the ﬂavors and giving them exuberant depth. Open now with a ribeye. (W&S, 10/11) Palm Bay Int’l., Boca Raton, FL 106412 | Cigar Box $ 2010 Mendoza Reserve Malbec (Best Buy) Would you ever consider serving malbec chilled…with a seafood gratin? If so, choose this one for its freshness, its light, smooth texture and ﬁne acidity. A portion of this wine is made with carbonic maceration (as in Beaujolais), which explains the juiciness of the fruit. Liquid Brands, Scituate, MA 107489 http://www.wineandspiritsmagazine.com http://www.cigarboxwine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - February 2012

Wine & Spirits - February 2012
Editor’s Note
Happenings
Contents
Fined & Filtered: Sake Post-Tsunami; Aussies crack the Brett code; the Historic Vineyard Society.
Spirits: New Digestivi, by Lou Bustamante
Wines of the Pacific
Red Rising
Yarra Shiraz
Snowmelt & Chalk
Anatomy of a Field Blend
Extreme Values
Tastings Overview
American Zinfandel
American Syrah
New Zealand Pinot Noir
Rhône Wines
Catalan Wines
Chilean Cabernet & Blends
Argentine Malbec
American Wines
Imported Wines
Books: Winter Reading

Wine & Spirits - February 2012