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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 85.2 pts. and median of 85 pts. in 216 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Neecies on 11/30/2018 & rated 85 points: It's just wine. Not young, not old, not undrinkable, but no compelling flavors from the time in bottle or hints that they're coming. Meh. (4095 views) | | | Tasted by gfb1 on 10/31/2017 & rated 86 points: Orange, leather, dark berries, cavaillon melon, and some barnyard funk balances with tannic astringency. Not a great wine; but, a very pleasant quaf for a mere $11.
I will buy some more and stick them in the cellar for a great qpr ten years from now! (3041 views) | | | Tasted by gfb1 on 10/31/2017 & rated 86 points: This is not a great wine. Yet, with patience (popping a 2009 in late 2017) it is a worthy drink, certainly punching well above its class for an $11 bottle.
Orange, dark berries, cavaillon melon, leather, a little bit of barnyard funk balanced out with tannic astringency.
I will be purchasing more of this wine, putting it in the cellar, and awaiting the moment... with patience. (2861 views) | | | Tasted by bakke on 3/19/2016 & rated 86 points: Aromatic smell of dark berries and a hint of old milk.
The wine looks crimson colored.
Taste: wood, pencil.
Sunny. Easy drinking. Worse on day 2. (5441 views) | | | Tasted by mschede on 7/29/2015 & rated 86 points: Um dos campeões do custo benefício! Sempre confiável! E em muito boa forma aos 6 anos!! Vermelho rubi escuro com evolução ao granada. Aromas que remetem a puras amoras azedinhas e ameixas passas em calda.. Na boca, seu ponto alto, é encorpado, mastigável, com taninos "empoeirados", sabor de frutas maduras bem contrabalançadas com uma decente acidez.. Final razoavelmente longo! Creio que seja melhor apreciado dos 3 aos 7 anos. (5633 views) | | | Tasted by kmicho on 11/4/2014 & rated 87 points: For the price, it's hard to beat. A good entry level Malbec with predominantly chalk and granite flavors. Some vanilla and tart berries as well. (5720 views) | | | Tasted by docjavadude on 8/1/2013 & rated 86 points: This wine consistently resides on my "Bargain Wine List." Lots of flavor (good flavor!) for a $12 bottle of wine. Juicy, dark berries with licorice/spice notes. Would be better with lower alcohol, but it is what it is. Better with food, but makes for an easy sipper, too. (9566 views) | | | Tasted by rupertg on 4/14/2013 & rated 84 points: Simple, good value (8877 views) | | | Tasted by Aray8750 on 7/31/2012 & rated 86 points: Very spicey, buttery with a nice subtle fruit flavors (9233 views) | | | Tasted by Launchair on 5/2/2012 & rated 84 points: Good wine, inexpensive, performs well at this price point. (9175 views) | | | Tasted by wine fun 2000 on 3/12/2012 & rated 87 points: Dark berry fruit and woodsy on the nose. Plum and dark berry on the palate. Tight tannins very subdued. Some depth evident, but not really complex. Finish is nice however there is a beat of heat at the very end. Paired with a chopped steak chill helped to make the experience delightful. (8987 views) | | | Tasted by studleytrey on 12/11/2011 & rated 88 points: Deep red with crimson at the edges. Nose of red and black fruit with some vanilla and oak spice. Aromas carry through to the palate, maybe some black cherry as well. (5641 views) | | | Tasted by virginia-bob on 12/11/2011: Nice full flavored wine.
The wine looks Ruby colored.
The legs are Medium.
It smells like Black currant (cassis), and Raspberry.
It tastes like Raspberry, and Gooseberry.
The body is Medium/Full.
The wine is textured Smooth.
The wine finishes Medium. (6326 views) | | | Tasted by E&C_Reynolds on 12/10/2011 & rated 90 points: Cherry - berry nose, spicy pepper taste, hint of leather, lingers on the tongue. (5628 views) | | | Tasted by csoren on 12/10/2011 & rated 86 points: Solid crowd-pleaser. (6207 views) | | | Tasted by sfg23 on 12/1/2011 & rated 86 points: A little better than the previous bottle. Probably a wine that will be significantly better in a year, or just spend a little more money now and get a better malbec. (5795 views) | | | Tasted by Optimus69prime on 10/20/2011 & rated 85 points: A light bouquet and smooth clean finish. Great value. Turns lips purple though. (4651 views) | | | Tasted by EdmondDantes on 10/9/2011 & rated 79 points: This bottle held promise visually with an almost inky berry body but the nose was steeped in alcohol that didn't dissipate after several minutes. After a fair amount of time it never really showed much and was quite flat, sort of a "point A to point B wine" that a flaky in-law would bring to your home gushing about its virtues while you try to decipher if they are earnest and serious or just mocking your tastes. It shared the table with steak (cheap steak, appropriately) and it was up to the pedestrian challenge of at least showing its Malbec heritage but this should not be served without food - and preferably grilled meat. I might be inclined to say wait a couple of years as this might be too green but I would just move on to another label or vintage (2006/05) if you are seeking a solid Malbec and can afford a few dollars more. (6652 views) | | | Tasted by fabiogr on 9/12/2011 & rated 82 points: Muted nose, quite alcoholic. Other than that, not much to write home about - textbook Malbec. (6659 views) | | | Tasted by PiAJ on 9/10/2011 & rated 78 points: Not too good. strong alcohol taste and bitter. (6630 views) | | | Tasted by mbeutel on 9/9/2011 & rated 86 points: Reserved in aromatics and even in a touch of flavor. Shows a bit of earthiness though. Dark fruits, a bit of flowers. Simple quaffer (6607 views) | | | Tasted by Teafan on 9/6/2011 & rated 85 points: Nice after it opened up. Good value. (4601 views) | | | Tasted by rupertg on 9/4/2011 & rated 83 points: Purple rim, black core. Nose muted. Full fruit mouthful, and stays that way. Hint of damson, smoke and spice in it. Lingers well. No more complexity, but more mellow. Drink up. (6513 views) | | | Tasted by danielpara on 8/23/2011 & rated 86 points: Muito frutado, gostoso e não briga com a comida. Bom pra tomar sozinho ou com uma massa leve. (6595 views) | | | Tasted by Mezz on 6/20/2011 & rated 90 points: Very nice, much better than the last bottle. Deep red color yields medium bodied fruit and hints of tannin. Dark cherry notes hit the palate up front, soft acidity rolls across into a mild tannic finish. Yum. (4470 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Alamos Producer WebsiteAlamos Malbec Alamos MalbecsMalbec 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 Mendoza |
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