Wine Of The Week: 2008 Alamos Malbec

Again Alamos Malbec is at the top of journalist's preferences. This time all the way from Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

"The 2008 Alamos Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina, about $10) is more austere than some, tempered with 5 percent cabernet sauvignon and 5 percent bonarda. The nose is dark fruit with a pronounced spice edge. On the tongue, raisin, blackberry and ripe plum and prune intensify and take on the savor of wood smoke. A hint of leather gives the blend muscle. Well-developed tannins lend it admirable structure and carry through a long dry finish underlined by a note of black tea. This is a perfect wine for chilly weather. Serve with grilled skirt steak. Widely available."

Link to original story here.

BYOB Malbec Party (Washington Post Style)

WaPo's Dave McIntyre jumps on the malbec bandwagon:

"...Malbec from Argentina is arguably the best value in wine today. While other countries produce plenty of good-value wines, Argentina's malbecs offer unusual complexity at prices that don't break the bank. Even a $10 bottle can have you searching the glass for hints of mocha, berries, lavender or spice..."

And he describes a fun way to explore malbec... A BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) Party!

"... Recruit some friends for an evening of wine tasting and geeky discussion about aromas and nuances. Have each friend contribute a bottle or two of wine, to help spread the cost and the fun. Concealing the labels is optional; if you do, make sure the bottles are clearly numbered...
...With each wine, look first for malbec's signature: deep purple color, aromas and flavors of blueberries and cherries, and a soft texture with tannins that seem to disappear rather than dominate the finish. Then look for the nuances that come from different vineyard sites or the winemaker's decisions before, during and after harvest..."

And his list of recommendations is pretty spot on:

-Trapiche '08 (very easy to find)
-Alamos '08   (very easy to find)
-High Note '08
-Mapema '06
-Finca El Origen Reserva '07
-Valentín Bianchi "Elsa" '08 (very easy to find)

Link to the Washington Post story here.



Link to the recommended wines here.


Photo Courtesy of James M. Thresher for The Washington Post.
 

To Decant Or Not To Decant

Well known wine expert and writer Carolyn Evans Hammond gives a few excellent tips about decanting wines. Which wines should we decant?

"The short and probably surprising answer is, all red wines.  They’ll pretty much all improve and if they don’t, they’ll certainly not be any worse off.  And for good reason.

Decanting is quite simply pouring wine from the bottle to another vessel—be it a fancy decanter, regular glass jug, or another clean wine bottle.  And it’s done to either (a) separate the liquid from the sediment of old reds, or (b) to expose it to oxygen to release more flavour.  Sediment free and nicely-aerated mean better wine."

And what about young wines?

"The other reason to decant is to aerate wine.  It’s generally accepted among wine professionals all young reds improve with decanting—cheap or expensive...

... But aeration is a good thing with red wines and the best way to achieve it through decanting. To see for yourself, taste any of the newly released, totally underpriced bottles listed below before and after decanting.  I think you’ll be surprised..."

While we are here, Carolyn also drops a few notes about the Catena's '08 Alamos Malbec. Always a best buy. A perennial favorite.

"Alamos Malbec 2008, Mendoza, Argentina (LCBO#0467951 $13.95) Here is a brilliant version of Malbec at an incredible price. With dense notes of plum purée, black licorice, black pepper, tar, leather, and roses on the nose and palate, it is complex and smooth with firm, ripe tannins on the finish. Served with roasted meat, it’s hard to beat—especially decanted. Full-bodied with 13.5% alc."

Link to the story here.

Alamos Malbec Speaks Very Good Italian

James Laube (Wine Spectator) finds an Alamos Malbec 2008 in an Italian Restaurant near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and he really enjoys it:

"...The list had about 50 wines, with the selection anchored by some nice Argentine reds. I opted for the recently released Alamos Malbec 2008, from the Luján de Cuyo area of Mendoza, for 365 pesos, or about $33; Wine Spectator has reviewed previous vintages of Alamos wines, owned by the Catena family, quite favorably. The Malbec added just the right touch of richness, spice and complexity to give the dinner another dimension. I rated it 90 points, non-blind, and drank another glass the next day for lunch with a slice of leftover lasgana. It held up nicely..."

Catena's Alamos is a consistent performer in every vintage. Whether you tried their Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda or even the Pinot Noir, you'll never be dissappointed. Very good value, indeed!

A Wine Guide for Thanksgiving

Another holiday, and always the same question: which wine should I serve to family and friends?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution just published a fun hour-by-hour wine guide to Thanksgiving Day with a capital "V": for value, now that we have to stretch every dollar.

"1 p.m.

Hugs and kisses are one thing, but nothing says “Welcome to our home, please stay a while,” like a glass of bubbly.

Spanish cavas offer some of your best values. Names to look for include Segurida Viuda and Marques de Gelida. These wines are all under $15."

Get ready your glasses... here comes the Malbec tips:

"3 p.m.

... A gruner veltliner from Austria is made from a completely different grape, but also has scintillating acidity and bright fruit flavors. I recently had a lovely-but-oddly named version called Gmork. It goes for $15.

While at the wine shop, head to the Argentine section for a malbec. Gascon and Tamari are names to check out, both under $15.

Also try: White —- Huber, Schwarzbock, and Laurenz und Sophie, all from Austria and under $20 a bottle; Valle de la Puerta Torrontes from Argentina ($10). Red —- malbec by Alamos, under $15."

An important note: Alamos and Gascon are value wines made by Catena Zapata.

Keep reading this very amusing guide by Gil Kulers, a certified wine educator with the Society of Wine Educators.

Thanksgiving and Malbecs

Respected journalist and expert Paul Gregutt from the Seattle Times has some great tips for the best wines for this "economy":

Continuing on the theme of last week — planning your Thanksgiving wines — here is Rule No. 3: Keep your red-wine choices fresh, versatile and inexpensive. Fresh, because young red wines are full of juicy berry fruit flavors that complement the bounty of the harvest, which is, after all, the underlying theme for the holiday feast. Versatile, because there are so many flavors going on — in spices, sauces, stuffing and side dishes — that your wines need to be able to go with the flow. And inexpensive, because thrift fits the current economy. And as an added bonus, value wines are most likely to be fresh and, yes, versatile.

And here the recommendations:

Argentine malbec is surefire. Some favorites in the budget category: Alamos Malbec ($10), Altas Cumbres Malbec ($10), AltoSur Malbec ($10), Altos Las Hormigas Malbec ($10), Conquista Malbec ($8), Doña Paula Los Cardos Malbec ($9), Doña Paula Estate Malbec ($12), Fantelli Malbec ($8), Tilia Malbec ($10), Trumpeter Malbec ($9) and Zolo Malbec ($11).

Complete article:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/wineadviser/2008407722_winecol19.html

Be sure that you read the whole thing. Paul makes some interesting points.