Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 46
Breakthrough Wines
Mendoza Malbec
by Tara Q. Thomas
It may have been the chocolate cake that put me off malbec. It was on a trip
to Mendoza, back in the early 2000s, before I passed on the critic baton to
Patricio Tapia; he lives just over the hills in Santiago and speaks much better Spanish than I do. Back then, Mendoza was just beginning to turn from
a sleepy Andean agricultural town to the sophisticated city it is now, a move
fueled by malbec. At the time, the bigger and lusher the red wine, the better it
sold on the international market, and the vintner I was visiting presented his
flagship malbec alongside a huge slice of chocolate cake. It was so sweet and
juicy, he explained, and the tannins so soft, that it was the rare red wine that
could pair with dessert.
He was right: The two went well together. But I really
didn't want another sip, or another bite.
Since then, I've dipped back into Mendoza malbec from time to time, because I do love its sunny
generosity. The wine's smooth tannins and licoricescented plummy fruit are even better at an asado,
with grilled meats and juicy empanadas. But that
doesn't happen too often in my corner of NYC. It
46
WINE & SPIRITS
FA L L 2 0 1 8
wasn't until fairly recently, while reading Tapia's tasting notes, that I began questioning my expectations
for Argentine malbec. In among all the lush, purplefruited reds he'd found some fresh, lifted wines with
marked acidity-not a feature of malbec as I knew
it. "Tara, you need to taste the wines," Tapia urged
me when I asked about them. "It's changed so much
since you were there."
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018
Contents
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - Cover1
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - Cover2
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 1
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 2
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 3
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - Contents
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 5
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 6
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 7
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 8
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 9
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 10
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 11
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 12
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 13
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 14
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 15
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 16
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 17
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 18
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 19
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 20
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 21
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 22
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 23
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 24
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 25
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 26
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 27
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 28
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 29
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 30
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 31
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 32
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 33
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 34
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 35
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 36
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 37
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 38
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 39
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 40
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 41
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 42
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 43
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 44
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 45
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 46
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 47
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 48
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 49
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 50
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 51
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 52
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 53
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 54
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 55
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 56
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 57
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 58
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 59
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 60
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 61
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 62
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 63
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 64
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 65
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 66
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 67
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 68
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 69
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 70
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 71
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - 72
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - Cover3
Wine & Spirits - Fall 2018 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2024spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2023winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2023fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2023summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2023spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2022winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2022fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2022summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2022spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2021winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2020winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2018_winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2017winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2016winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2016fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2015winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2015fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2014winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2014fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2013winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2013fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/2012winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/fall2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/drm_test
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/winespirits/201110
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com