Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Malbec not a Montblanc

This week I went to the wine store with a very open mind. I didn't have a taste for anything and wasn't sure what I wanted to buy. I walked into my favorite wine shop and just wandered the aisles. I found myself in the Malbec section. If you are anything like me, you are wondering, "What is a Malbec?"
A Malbec is the flagship red grape of Argentina. I found a lot of information about how this grape is used in blending other wines. I don't know how important that is to other people, so I didn't really focus on that. But if you want to sound as if you know something if someone brings up Malbecs, some key points would be knowing that the Mendoza region of Argentina is the Malbec's shining star and it pairs perfectly with grilled meats, game and robust spicy dishes.

The salesman suggested I try Malbec, Chalten Reserva 2010.
When I try a new wine, I like to look up the tasting notes, just to see if I can taste the same thing. A quick google search (after checking the blogs I typically follow) I found the following:

The wine has a beautiful reddish/purple color as most good Malbecs do. The aromas are a mix of freshly crushed black cherries and toasty/smoky oak just enough to frame the exuberant fruit. On the palate, the flavors of cherries and spice are obvious, and the jammy fruit quality just keeps coming on strong, with hints of spice and sandalwood lurking in the background.

My thoughts- First I must say it has a beautiful color. Dark, deep, intense purple (Have I mentioned I'm a Ravens fan).


I wanted to love it, but I didn't. It was dry, to me and I am not finding dry wines to be my thing. I didn't find it overly fruity, but I did get the toasty, smokey oak thing. The initial sip is very smooth, and the spice does jump in on you at the end, I did like that. But overall, not a wine I would buy again. I think I prefer something a little fruitier, slightly sweeter, not so dry and a little less spice. Will I finish the bottle? Yup! It's drinkable and I would recommend for someone who prefers less fruity and dry wine.

Have you tried it?? Please let me know your thoughts.

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