2014 Mt. Brave Malbec

Community Tasting Notes (5) Avg Score: 91.3 points

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  9/6/2018 - Rsjo wrote: 91 Points

  Loved it - 2014 better than 2013 consumed 2 days apart

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  7/9/2018 - msuwine wrote: 91 Points

  This pleasant wine falls somewhere between a true Malbec and a generic modern CA red wine. I guess it's both, but those seeking typicity should look elsewhere. Don't get me wrong: the wine is well-made, with the oaky softness that Carpenter brings to mountain wines, but I just don't think it's special enough to seek out.
  
  Dark red in color, full in body, nose of boysenberry, ground espresso, and pepper. Brambly tastes of blueberry, rhubarb, cocoa powder, and pine needles, with a woodsy and grainy finish that (similar to the Cabernet) is surprisingly accessible for a Mt. Veeder red. 14.7% alcohol. There is a juiciness to the wine, too, that makes it ready to drink, if not now in 2019 or later.
  
  I found the wine to be enjoyable enough, but - picking up on Mark's point below - I kept wondering: why make it at all? It reminded me of the wine in the tasting lineup where you thought, "huh - that's interesting," but then forgot about it as soon as you got to the main event. For Mt. Brave, I think the main event is the Cabernet, which is more intense, interesting, and enjoyable (for not that much more).

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  10/28/2017 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 90 Points

  A nice smooth Cali malbec, coravined a few glasses off and it was consistent. A significantly different flavor profile than the South American versions. Went back a week later, uncorked the bottle and got a big rush of pine tree and nothing else. Didn't seem to be drinkable at that point. ? Failure of cork to reseal after initial coravine use? It was initially an ok wine but I still wonder why Cali winemakers even bother with this varietal other than for blending. When you have so many 'A' game varietals, why bother with the 'B' side?

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  6/10/2017 - Redrum Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Huge wine but suprisingly smooth. This could be consumed now or held for at least 10 years.

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  5/28/2017 - cavedivr Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Hard to believe this is even a malbec. Could go a long while in the cellar. Big and powerful, dark, brambly fruits. Punch you in the face and come back for more.

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