External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2014 and 2017 (based on 6 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 86.9 pts. and median of 87 pts. in 79 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by jeginmt on 1/3/2022 & rated 93 points: Three years in my cellar since my last tasting and CT rating. The wine has held up very well. Still excellent with dark ruby color, full body, fruity flavor anchored by good tannins. 14% ABV helps make it quite enjoyable It does need an hour of breathing to open up. (193 views) | | | Tasted by jeginmt on 3/31/2018 & rated 93 points: Extra years in the cellar have improved this wine. Decanting and allowing it to breathe for an hour produced additional improvement. Dark, opaque, rich fruit, soft tannins. Quite enjoyable. (636 views) | | | Tasted by csimm on 6/19/2016 & rated 86 points: Simple and straightforward. Flat and a little bitter. Not a lot going on here. Made for an ok few sips, but nothing to write home about. Best left forgotten. (2724 views) | | | Tasted by Jayarr on 9/6/2014 & rated 88 points: Surprised with the color. Still purple with hints of blue. Lush, fat and I agree withe comment on leathery tannins. Decent fruit and the second glass was better as it opened up. This could wait a couple years in the cellar but it was pretty decent for the price. (2229 views) | | | Tasted by StageOneRacing on 6/23/2014 & rated 87 points: Not quite as good as the 2009 as I detected a bitterness on the finish. (2308 views) | | | Tasted by EvanJB on 5/10/2014: To Stephen (2248 views) | | | Tasted by K88888C on 4/28/2014 & rated 80 points: Simple and unexciting.
Perhaps more time in the bottle and long decanting would make it a repeat. (1979 views) | | | Tasted by jmcmchi on 1/10/2014: Juicy, long and enjoyable. Mid length (1638 views) | | | Tasted by ilovefrance on 12/27/2013 & rated 89 points: Nice Coffee, chocolate, tobacco, flavours and aromas. Loved it does not need to be decanted. Enjoy! (914 views) | | | Tasted by Dhayden20 on 7/27/2013 & rated 85 points: Had this wine with a good chili and it was a great match! (1349 views) | | | Tasted by fcupero on 7/18/2013: bland (1265 views) | | | Tasted by BuffaloLou on 3/27/2013 & rated 89 points: Glad I purchased more than one of these. After the first bottle, I would not have purchased a second. The second bottle is nothing like the first (must have been flawed... )
Floral (violet?) notes on the nose from the pnp through the last drop. This bottle has massive black fruits and a leathery tannic backbone. Floral notes on the long finish. Very nice! (1296 views) | | | Tasted by Buck naked on 3/27/2013 & rated 84 points: Okay, on first pour I was very disappointed with this wine. Not much of a nose and a very astringent taste with almost no fruit. Was sorry my wife had purchased a second bottle before we drank this one. But after and hour of decanting in the glass, it did begin to open up. Some dark fruit surfaced on the nose and the astringent taste mellowed out to reveal some plum and raisins. All in all a very mild wine, not your typical in the face Malbec, but OK. For the price there are better Malbecs to be had out there. (1449 views) | | | Tasted by MProbst on 1/25/2013: Aromas of cherry, and strawberry, but taste bitter and unbalanced. Not good enough to drink. (1507 views) | | | Tasted by MProbst on 1/25/2013: Second note. It's not worth ever buying again. Bitter after-taste. (1927 views) | | | Tasted by BuffaloLou on 1/10/2013 & rated 86 points: First, on the pnp, this was terrible. No fruit, just ripping acidity on the palate. The nose was shut down. After 90 minutes in the bottle and glass, it started to open-up on the palate, but the nose didn't show much more than some earth, a little fruit, and a lot of alcohol.
This is not a big, masculine Malbec. Much softer and delicate. Silky blackberry with a hint of plum on the palate. Short, but dusty finish with a lot of acid. Would do well paired with food. Soft tanins.
Overall, this wasn't bad, but I would not re-buy as it's not my cup of tea. I prefer the big, muscular, Malbecs. (1501 views) | | | Tasted by marksfamily on 1/7/2013 & rated 87 points: Nose of plum, oak, wet leaves. Very smooth mouthfeel with lovely blackberry, black cherry, and plum. Long finish with very soft tannins. So lovely. (1286 views) | | | Tasted by King of the Farm on 12/22/2012 & rated 88 points: Great QPR.... No formal notes but at $15 at CostCo? drinks like a $35 Napa Cab. Great Tuesday evening wine... (1456 views) | | | Tasted by qcwino on 11/4/2012: PnP. Nose has nice coffee and port scents. Palate is blue fruit with moderate tannins and acid. Not as full and smooth as past vintages. (1514 views) | | | Tasted by Zed57 on 10/31/2012 & rated 90 points: Solid with big black fruit and a nice acidity on the finish to add to its complexity. Has time but drink now. (1552 views) | | | Tasted by MXL on 10/15/2012 & rated 88 points: second glass was better after breathing a bit. (1507 views) | | | Tasted by pwarms on 7/31/2012 & rated 87 points: Not bad value. A bit dry but paired well with slow cooked baby back ribs (2068 views) | | | Tasted by Snoman on 7/27/2012 & rated 87 points: Deep black-purple in glass, shows nice extraction and rich cassis aromatics. Palate shows some restraint in the black fruit flavors, and will likely open considerably in the next year or so. Medium-weight mouthfeel, and a short-medium finish. Can't quite get to Tanzer's higher rating for this bottle, which is nonetheless an enjoyable, great-QPR bottle. (1962 views) | | | Tasted by djlevin on 7/14/2012 & rated 88 points: Very feminine style malbec. Lighter, softer style on the palate. Popped and poured at Whole Foods with a buffalo burger. Became even softer over the hour it took for us to finish the bottle. Nose was subdued. Palate was not overly fruity, but enough plum & blackberry on the front. Very acidic - with light tannins. Interesting malbec. Some floral tones on the mid-palate. Would have been better with less alcohol, in this style. More old world in the approach than most Argentinian malbecs I have tasted. There are probably those palates that would admire its lighter, soft texture, but for me... it wasn't the viscous, sensuous, velvety quality malbec I have come to enjoy. (2024 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Dominio del Plata Producer website
U.S. Importer (addt'l info)Malbec Varietal character (Appellation America)
One of the traditional “Bordeaux varietals”, Malbec has characteristics that fall somewhere between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. A midseason ripener, it can bring very deep color, ample tannin, and a particular plum-like flavor component to add complexity to claret blends. Malbec is a finicky vine whose fruit is prone to rot and mildew in the cool, damp coastal climate of Bordeaux. But ask a Bordelais grower why there’s no Malbec around, and you’ll more likely get a dismissive shrug and sniff than a viticultural analysis. It is known in much of France as Côt, and, in Cahors, also as Auxerrois. There are in fact hundreds of local synonyms, since Malbec at one time was widely planted all over the country. Sensitivity to frost and proclivity to shatter or coulure (a disease that results in premature fruit drop) is the primary reason that Malbec has become a decreasing factor in most of France. Although plantings in the Medoc have decreased by over twothirds since the mid-twentieth century, Malbec is now the dominant red varietal in the Cahors area. The Appellation Controlée regulations for Cahors require a minimum content of 70%. Malbec is also planted in Chile, and there’s relatively little and recent acreage in California and Australia. It is usually blended with other red varietals in these countries. But Malbec truly comes into its own in Argentina, where it is the major red varietal planted. Much of the Malbec vines there were transplanted from Europe prior to the outbreak of phylloxera and most is therefore ungrafted, on its own roots. Sadly, over the years the bug infested Argentina, too, and vineyards are being replanted on resistant rootstock. Happily, the vines thrive in the arid climate of the Mendoza region in the foothills of the Andes. Made in the context of this South American nation’s Spanish and Italian heritage, it produces a delicious wine that has almost nothing in common with Bordeaux except the color. Argentines often spell it “Malbeck” and make wines from it that are slightly similar in flavor to those made in Europe, but with softer, lusher structure, more like New World Merlot. Another difference is that where French examples are usually considered short-lived, Argentine Malbecs seem to age fairly well. Successful Argentine Malbec growers claim that, in order to develop full maturity and distinction, Malbec needs “hang time” even after sugar levels indicate ripeness. Otherwise, immature Malbec can be very “green” tasting, without its characteristic notes of plum and anise. Malbec in Argentina has come to be appreciated for a spicy white pepper characteristic, the aroma of violets, and sweet, jammy fruit. It is a seductive wine that is typically warm and generous in the mouth, with plenty of flesh, and very appealing when young. Almost always producing a ripe and fruity, even plummy wine, Malbec can take oak aging or show well without it; it’s juicy and quaffable when young but can benefit from aging, developing an intriguing complexity with time in the bottle. It can range in price from as little as $7 to more than $75. The true potential of Argentine Malbec, and indeed in the entire spectrum of Argentine wines, is demonstrated by the fact that many of the world’s most renowned winemakers have come to Argentina to make wine. Both the legendary California winemaker Paul Hobbs, and Michel Rolland of Bordeaux, one of the world’s most famous winemakers, have created very high-end Malbecs. It may be the Italian component in the country’s mixed Latin family tree that fosters the fact that Malbec is an exceptional companion with a broad range of food. Its well-balanced fruit-and-acid profile makes it a natural with rare beef (bear in mind that Argentina is cattle country), but it’s just as good with simple fare from burgers to fried chicken. With its natural balance, good pairings include: cajun cuisine, calzones, cannelloni with meat, poultry, vegetable couscous, steak creole, Greek cuisine, deviled eggs, hummus, Indian cuisine, leg of lamb, Mexican cuisine with meat, pâté, spinach soufflé, and hearty pasta. For cheeses, think of harder styles that are either waxed or oiled, such as Parmigiano Reggiano, Ricotta Salata, Romano, Asiago, Pont l’Eveque, Gruyere, Manchego, Cantal, Comte, old Gouda, old Cheddar, Baulderstone, Beaufort, Leicester, aged Chesire, Chevre Noir, Wensleydale, Tilsit, Iberico, Mahon, Roncal, and Mizithra.Argentina Wines of Argentina
Argentina has been making wine since the 1500s, tracing its wine heritage back to Spain, France and, perhaps surprisingly, Italy. Italian immigration is second only to Spanish in Argentine culture, and the flavors of Italy show up strongly in the nation’s wine, food and cultural tradition. Historically, Argentina has kept much of its wine consumption at home, drinking most of the wine it makes. But we are now seeing more very serious Argentine wines north of the border, and Malbec is leading the movement. The wine-making region in Argentina ranges between the 22° and 42° South latitude. It spreads at the foothills of the Andean mountain range along over 2,400 km; from the province of Salta to the province of Río Negro, with a variety of climates and soils that makes each region a unique land. In general terms, the areas dedicated to vine cultivation are dry and arid with a low level of rain and humidity, determining factor as regards grape health. Abundant sunny days and thermal amplitude favor a good maturity and concentration of aroma and color in the grain. Soils are deep, permeable and poor in organic matter, decisive qualities at the time of obtaining good wine. Due to the low rain regime, irrigation is necessary. Water comes from the Andean range thaw, descending in the shape of rivers to become channels or ditches. Undoubtedly, the combination of these factors turns Argentina into a veritable oasis for the highest quality wine-making. Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go. Wine-making in Argentina, at the level that it achieves today, has a young history that goes back to a little more than 10 years ago. Technological progress, investment and some farsighted businessmen enabled a determining transformation. The province of Mendoza is the most traditional area in the viticultural industry, and is diverse enough to be divided into zones, according to their significantly different weather, height and soil characteristics. These include the Northern Zone, which is suitable for fruity whites and young reds, at a height from 600 to 700m; the Eastern Zone, with a height ranging from 600 to 700m, and the most productive zone in the province; the Uco Valley, a zone of colder weather and higher altitudes (between 800 and 1,400m over sea level); San Rafael, with heights ranging from 450 to 800m; and the High Zone of the Mendoza River, with heights ranging from 800 to 1,100m over sea level and various microclimates, this is the zone where almost all noble varieties have easily become adapted. It is a region that is remarkably well-suited to vine culture, protected from the Pacific’s cooling influence by the Andes and enjoying a long summer of cool nights and warm days, with a dry summer climate but plenty of water available from the region’s rivers. Malbec in particular is outstanding from this area, and it has clearly emerged as the star, the darling of both consumers and critics.Mendoza Wines of MendozaValle de Uco On weinlagen-info |
|
