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.
 

Pascual Toso Malbec Rosé 2008

There is nothing left... My whole case is gone!
A serious, robust, vibrant but at the same time very easy to drink rosé wine from the Maipú District in Mendoza made with 100% malbec.

It is the kind of wine that you could drink and afford to have in the Thanksgiving table (it is going for less than U$ 10). This has solid fruit, all ripe and rich, an unmistakable "food wine" which will accompany an array of choices for the holidays.  The colour is a somehow dark strawberry red, with an aroma of plums and the taste of strawberry, rhubarb and dark red fruits. Amazing acidity, creamy and full bodied. At the mouth all of these combinations give an intense and refreshing taste.

I would not be afraid to pair this wine with just about anything. It was the talk of a barbecue party last weekend, with my friend begging me to get him some bottles. Women and men alike loved it. 
I was struck by the lingering and refreshing aftertaste. Not easy to get in a rosé wine at this price level.
Pascual Toso keeps delivering quality with very affordable prices.

Premium Malbec At A Rock Bottom Price

Here's a toast to a buyer's market. Salud! If you are wondering how wine retailers are faring in this market, there is a good story out today that pretty much sums up the whole thing:

A "key factor" helping to keep retail sales steady, he believes, is the fact that "people are going out to dinner less and entertaining more at home." The bottom line is that there's good news for shopkeepers and shoppers alike.

Sales are steady and that's good news for everyone that it is not producing premium wines.

On the supply side, he sees plenty of bargains under $20, especially when it comes to domestic wines. Imports are still at the mercy of the weak dollar.

On the demand side, the economy has created thrifty customers who "are thinking a little bit more about how they spend their dollars - they are doing their homework."
In today's competitive market, "if a wine is over $20 it had better be really good or have a good point score."

Link here.
 
And you know the article is right on the money, when you see a 2008 Achával-Ferrer Malbec for less than U$ 17. Unbelievable price for a high caliber wine like this one, with both WS and WA scoring 91pts.

"South American malbec is a bold grape with easy mass appeal, but often not much depth at a lower price range. This bottle, knocked down to $16.99 from a usual $28, shows just how interesting malbec can be at a slightly higher tier.

...there's also some finesse to go with that ripe machismo, a bouquet of violets, a flicker of anise and spice, and a bright acidity that clicks on the tongue for a long and cheery finish."

 Philly is getting one heck of a deal. 

A "Bang-For-The-Buck" Malbec

When you have a Napa Valley based publication reviewing several wines mostly from California and then you find a lonely argentinian malbec in the whole list, you know you are onto something. But when this malbec merits a "Best Bang For Your Buck" you know you have just struck gold:

Layer Cake 2007 Mendoza Malbec $15

All malbec from the rocky terrain of this South American country noted for this Bordeaux blending varietal, it’s a smooth, lush wine that belies its 14.9 percent alcohol. Harvested late, the ripe fruit for this accessible red offers exotic berry perfume along with a mouthful of cherries, blackberries and plums. The first malbec release from Layer Cake, it’s a wine for the bigger flavors on the Thanksgiving table as well as one that red wine fanciers would gladly quaff on its own. Of all the wines, tasters said this one offered the most bang for the buck. Production is 15,000 cases, so I’m sure there’s enough out there for all of us.

The good thing about this wine is that you'll find it pretty much everywhere.
The concept behind Layer Cake represents the different layers of wine and the image of a handcrafted product. Winemaker Jayson Woodbridge named Layer Cake as his grandfather told him that the soils in which the vines lived were a layer cake. If properly made, the wine from these vines was like a delicious cake. The fruit for Layer Cake Malbec comes from a vineyard that is flanking the Mendoza River in Argentina. 

Why Argentina & Chile Are World Leaders In Value Wine

Renowned wine journalist Robert Whitley gives a couple of good reasons as to why:

There are two good reasons why this is so. The first is simply the economics of buying land, growing grapes and making wine in South America. Everything from land to labor is cheaper. The second is a fluke of nature — Argentine malbec.

There is no question about it that the Argentine wine industry owes a lot to the likes of California's Paul Hobbs (he started working with Nicolás Catena back in '88), Italy's Roberto Cipresso (Achával-Ferrer) and France's Michel Rolland, but somehow the grape found in the Mendoza's terroir its perfect home (and today for that matter anywhere near the Andes):

From Argentina, as nowhere else, malbec delivers lushness on the palate, bold fruit aromas and a level of complexity that is absent in most malbec made elsewhere.

And he finishes with a good list of "trusted producers":

The following is a list of Argentine wineries whose well-priced malbecs have scored good numbers in recent reviews by well-known critics, including this one:

Alamos

Andeluna

Bodegas Salentein

Catena

Cruz

Colome (Cafayate, Salta)

Dona Paula

Famiglia Bianchi

Gascon

Luigi Bosca

Melipal

Norton

Terrazas de los Andes

Trapiche

Trivento

The story is worth reading. Don't miss it. 

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.