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2005 Luigi Bosca Malbec Reserva |
| Vintage | 2005 |  Label 1 of 3   | |
| Type | Red | ||
| Producer | Luigi Bosca (web) | ||
| Variety | Malbec | ||
| Designation | Reserva | ||
| Vineyard | n/a | ||
| Country | Argentina | ||
| Region | Mendoza | ||
| SubRegion | Lujan de Cuyo | ||
| Appellation | n/a | ||
| UPC Code | 7791203001231 |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average 87.4 pts. and median of 88 pts. in 66 notes) | |
| Tasted by JoshA on 1/29/2010 & rated 89 points: Juicy, dark fruit, coffee and spice with rounded, sweet tannins. (167 views) | |
| Tasted by ThirdBottle on 1/25/2010 & rated 87 points: I didn't get the oakiness that other taster's noted. It was very pleasant and tasted fine. Didn't blow me away, but I gladly finished the bottle. (233 views) | |
| Tasted by Schube on 1/19/2010 flawed bottle: corked. funky. (246 views) | |
| Tasted by smahk on 1/14/2010 & rated 65 points: Color: Deep red, but rather thin looking Nose: Overwhelming Oak Taste: THere was no other taste than that of sucking on the bark of an oak tree. WOW! This is just undrinkable - no other flavor at all. I wonder if it was even made from a grape. I can't even cook with this. (283 views) | |
| Tasted by Lessthanzero on 12/26/2009 & rated 89 points: Fine malbec, with some dpeth to it. (371 views) | |
| Tasted by Lessthanzero on 11/26/2009 & rated 87 points: OK, nothing special. Benefits from a long decant. (449 views) | |
| Tasted by rarthurs on 11/24/2009 & rated 87 points: Ok, but nothing special (507 views) | |
| Tasted by DerekM on 10/23/2009 & rated 89 points: (436 views) | |
| Tasted by winot on 10/2/2009 & rated 83 points: Very oaky, to the exclusion of all else on the nose- oaky flavours and over-extracted tannic black fruit-if not eating a charred steak, I'm not really sure what the use would be for this wine. (800 views) | |
| Tasted by wine4me2 on 9/27/2009 & rated 85 points: good but nothing worth noting. I think clos los siete would be a better buy. (780 views) | |
| Tasted by dgrixti on 9/12/2009 & rated 86 points: (566 views) | |
| Tasted by ddang on 8/29/2009 & rated 95 points: (624 views) | |
| Tasted by dpavelka on 7/28/2009 & rated 89 points: Smooths out with decanting or aerating (1095 views) | |
| Tasted by Lessthanzero on 7/18/2009 & rated 88 points: Tight nose, with some cherries. A bit acidic and definitely tannic on the palate. Does well with food, and might integrate better with time. (1118 views) | |
| Tasted by Kisper on 6/20/2009 & rated 86 points: (784 views) | |
| Tasted by GregGH on 6/10/2009 & rated 89 points: (502 views) | |
| Tasted by jrsobeck on 5/25/2009 & rated 88 points: Good but not great. (1336 views) | |
| Tasted by tlmoore3 on 4/11/2009 & rated 92 points: (1006 views) | |
| Tasted by fer999 on 3/29/2009 & rated 89 points: (1073 views) | |
| Tasted by uncle_fester on 3/22/2009 & rated 88 points: Notes in line with previous bottle. Rich, yummy and cheap. (1726 views) | |
| Tasted by LionGaucho on 3/13/2009 flawed bottle: Heavy Brett funk, but not "good" Brett (and I am not averse to Brett generally). Rancid aroma, not sweetish barnyard. That and vanilla. Pretty smooth otherwise. Could be good if you get a bottle that isn't too over the top on the rancid Brett scale. (1901 views) | |
| Tasted by acheng on 3/5/2009 & rated 87 points: Initially rather one dimensional oaky and generic. After 2 hours and particularly one day later, it does improve. Black peppery, blackberry and cedary. In the mouth, juicy and intense. Still a bit rough in the mouth. Tannin is palpable and appears to need a couple more years to resolve. (1915 views) | |
| Tasted by ColinR on 3/1/2009 & rated 91 points: Crimson-purple; slight barnyard, boysenberries, vanilla; plummy, cream soda, lush, full body, ripe tannins, lingering finish. Decanted 1 hr. Ripe, low-acid and full bodied. Not complex but impressive and delicious nonetheless. Excellent QPR. Enjoyed with bacon explosion. (1897 views) | |
| Tasted by Nutty08 on 2/26/2009 & rated 86 points: Rather closed nose, some cherry notes with oak, coffee, and vanilla. Smooth simple palate, dark fruits, some oak and mocha, little perceptable tannin. Short fruit finish, with a little earthiness. Reasonable early drinking wine, not very complex or interesting, but smooth and easy drinking. (1918 views) | |
| Tasted by Anonymous on 1/28/2009 & rated 86 points: Nose of musky, wet wood chips and funk, with a vaguely vegetal sense. Smooth in the mouth with flavor pockets alternating between sweet vanilla and dark chocolate. Bitter tabacco on the finish. Did not get much fruit. Generally a "dark" wine. (1958 views) | |
| Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
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| Producer website
About red wine 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. Because if its balance and fruit, 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 and chicken, pâté, spinach soufflé, and 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. 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. Wines of Mendoza Argentine Malbec Producers Luján de Cuyo (Municipalidad de Luján de Cuyo) |
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