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2005 Mendel Malbec |
| Vintage | 2005 |  Label 1 of 4   | |
| Type | Red | ||
| Producer | Mendel | ||
| Variety | Malbec | ||
| Designation | n/a | ||
| Vineyard | n/a | ||
| Country | Argentina | ||
| Region | Mendoza | ||
| SubRegion | Lujan de Cuyo | ||
| Appellation | n/a |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average 89.1 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 21 notes) | |
| Tasted by chapel hill wino on 12/13/2009: hard to enjoy, tooooo much oak for my taste. Well made, but just couldn't get over the wood. (167 views) | |
| Tasted by rcasaw on 11/22/2009 & rated 91 points: (146 views) | |
| Tasted by GGinSF on 8/30/2009 & rated 86 points: Nice mid-level malbec. New oak is noticable but not overwhelming. There are better values though. (295 views) | |
| Tasted by Veraison on 8/11/2009 & rated 86 points: Tasted over a couple days. Deeply colored, mostly opaque. Aromas of caramel. Little woody. Slightly creamy mouthfeel with plum and vague black currant fruit. More caramel late. Fairly full bodied. Maybe a little bit stewed. Pleasant, but not interesting. (399 views) | |
| Tasted by mark_m_owen on 8/8/2009 & rated 90 points: Wow. What a difference a year makes. Or bottle variation. Or just the food match ;-). Same deep purple colour as before but much more forthcoming black velvet fruits on the nose with background of oakiness. Plenty of backbone and minerality in there but I wouldn't call this as hugely tannic as some - the tannins were nicely layered in this bottle - but enought there to let it run for a while. Good long fresh finish to boot.I wish I had another bottle but tonight's steak wouldn't wait. (380 views) | |
| Tasted by Pimenta on 8/5/2009 & rated 88 points: (327 views) | |
| Tasted by mrpalmer on 7/1/2009 & rated 91 points: Full body, deep saturated red. Not fruity. Long finish. Spicy, berries, herbs. Still fairly tannic. (538 views) | |
| Tasted by kenmmm on 1/9/2009 & rated 90 points: (522 views) | |
| Tasted by Anonymous on 12/19/2008 & rated 90 points: (536 views) | |
| Tasted by Richard Jennings on 12/15/2008 & rated 80 points: 2002-2007 Argentinian Malbecs Blindtasted (Los Altos, California): Group's #5 (my #6) – 42 pts; 0, 1, 2, 3 – Dark red violet color; pungent, VA, orange peel, dried basil, herbal, black fruit and tobacco nose; less interesting on the palate: slightly stewed black fruit, graphite and charcoal; short-medium finish (763 views) | |
| Tasted by *Vine* on 9/17/2008 & rated 90 points: Popped the cork and set on the counter, poured first glass after about an hour. Deep purple, quite pretty to look at. Blackberry, raspberry, misc. black fruits, cocoa powder, hint of tobacco leaf and minerals on the nose. Touch of heat too. Plush and substantial, this Malbec tastes of blackberry, blueberry and loamy, mineral-laden earth. Nice acidity to go with the big tannins. All-in-all, very good juice (although the heat is slightly distracting). Will definitely improve with 2-4 years in the cellar. (871 views) | |
| Tasted by bin905 on 8/28/2008 & rated 90 points: (608 views) | |
| Tasted by mark_m_owen on 8/8/2008 & rated 87 points: Very stale on opening. Left a glass to air and bottle open below the shoulder for an hour. Very deep coloured, could not see the stem of the glass. Opened up a bit in hte nose but still the smokiness was overpowering anything else. THis did improve over the evening. Although plenty of structure the fruit was really rather muted and only really came through late in the mouth with plum and dark fruits. Finish medium, no harsh tannins. I will leave the other bottle for a while. (892 views) | |
| Tasted by JuanDomingo on 7/30/2008 & rated 92 points: Inky red deep with with violet notes ( little bit of granate). Pronounced legs and oily. Have and intense nose with rounded earth, leather and smoke. Spicy. Medium body, elegant and structured. 30 or 40 seconds aftertaste. With retrotaste came the red fruits jelly. Still get a lot of potential. I put to this wine another point because it was more elegant that i was drank before (Last month). On this bottle the tannins play a better role. Super wine at this time. One of my favourites. (937 views) | |
| Tasted by JuanDomingo on 6/30/2008 & rated 91 points: This is an inky deep with violet notes. limp with pronounced legs and oily. On the first nose you get red fruits with some rounded earth. On the second nose appears leather, oak, smoke and some mint. Spicy with some cherry. Is amedium body with good balance and interesting bitter note. dark fruits juice and plum. This is a correct and elegant wine with a 30 seconds plus aftertaste. Spartans tannins but not agressive. No doubt have a lot of ptential, maybe more than ten years. (1071 views) | |
| Tasted by Kdawg on 5/13/2008 & rated 91 points: nose: nice dark nose of smoke, blackberry, black currants, toasted oak tones, and coffee beans taste: good firm tannins and acidity with bold dark flavors of black berries, black currant, toasted oak, anise, and some smoke tones overall: nice and bold malbec that fills out the entire palate. Good upfront attack that glides across and leans into a good anise and black berry finish (1260 views) | |
| Tasted by AndrewSGHall on 2/29/2008: Strong blackberry fruit, soft tannins w/ moderate grip. Broad on the palate. Good acids and some tar. Oak notes present in a vanilla and coffee form, though not dominant. Enjoyable for what it was. (1565 views) | |
| Tasted by nectar14 on 2/16/2008 & rated 92 points: My personal favorite of the tasting. Nose of wood, toasted walnuts and pencil lead. The attack was a bit closed at first, but this wine pushed through with candied black cherry, mineral and fine intensity. The finish was strong, with moderate tannins. Ought to evolve over the next 5-6 years and develop some more nuance. (1459 views) | |
| Tasted by Rayburn on 2/5/2008 & rated 91 points: Splash decanted. Nose was full of blackberry, earth and vanilla. Palate was soft and lush with black cherry, blackberry, leather and oak. Mild earth. Mid-palate hosted fine, well-integrated tannin. Finish was medium. I wouldn't call it a great QPR, but it was a fine bottle nonetheless. (1555 views) | |
| Tasted by mmurry on 1/19/2008 & rated 92 points: Sale Wine Tasting (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had a good mix of smoke, toast, violets, and raspberry. The palate was soft, and had raspberry and smoke. It finished with some spice and dirt. (1706 views) | |
| Tasted by neurovino on 1/13/2008 & rated 85 points: Typical malbec problems - too little fruit, too much structure. Enjoyable, but not good QPR. Prefer Catena for a couple bucks less (1821 views) |
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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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