Los Haroldos, Blend, 2020, Argentina
Primarily a blend of Cab Sav and Malbec this house blend has great fruit concentration with red and black fruit in bucket loads. Bold and dry with firm tannins makes this a sipping wine or a wine with food. Usual steak or stew dishes or good strong cheeses to balance those tannins. At about £10 a bottle it’s good value.
Zuccardi, ‘Serie A’, Malbec-Tempranillo, 2020, Mendoza, Argentina
Another really good Argentinan red blend of Malbec and Tempranillo that’s dry, refined, with firm tannins and easy to drink. Good flavours and length make this £12 bottle of wine very good value.
Finca La Celia, Heritage, Malbec, 2012, Argentina
This is another excellent Malbec from Mendoza in Argentina, Finca La Celia with their Heritage, Malbec shows that they’re top notch producer. There loads of long length flavours of black fruit with leather and chocolate notes and hints of a herby undertone. Dry, smooth and well integrated firm tannins its a great wine.
We had it with brisket thst was slow cooked for 10 hours and it went very well. At £30 a bottle it’s reasonable value given the quality
Agrelo, Gran Enemigo, Cab Franc, 2014, Argentina
You don’t see as much Cabernet Franc as you should given how amazing this grape is and this Agrelo, Gran Enemigo from Argentina is flipping brilliant. Its dry, smooth, good tannins which are well integrated with plenty of red and black fruit flavours that last so long. There’s oak and earthiness that balance just so beautifully.
Its not cheap but for special occasions just perfect. We had it with slow cooked brisket which was amazing.
Bodegas & Viñedos Polo, Herencia La Palabra, Malbec, Argentina
This is a very good, excellent malbec from Mendoza in Argentina. A pretty bold, dry red which is smooth and has good integration of tannins that makes this a joy to drink. Long length of the flavours of red and black fruits, oak, chocolate, tobacco.
It’s a wine to be enjoyed with a steak or a burger. Drink and enjoy and you’ll feel those flavours come through.
Trivento, Reserve Malbec, 2019, Mendoza, Argentina
Argentina does Malbec pretty well and this one from Trivento is a good example.
Yes its a cheap red wine that’s reasonable bold, pretty smooth and dry yet theres more to it. With aromas and flavours of red and black fruit, raspberry, cherry, plum, blackberry with hints of vanilla and chocolate and there’s good decent length to round it off.
This is a red wine for the masses and that’s not a bad thing. Excellent stuff.
Luigi Bosca produce a range of reds and this Gala 2 is a Bordeaux blend. This is made up of Cabernet Sauvignon (85%), Cabernet Franc (10%) and Merlot (5%). It’s dry, smooth, really smooth with aromas of cherry and tobacco and flavours of plum, redcurrant, vanilla hints and a herby note in there. It’s elegant in many ways but it’s just do enjoyable.
At £24 a bottle it’s not cheap but it’s very good, excellent and worth the money. Something for a special occasion.
Luigi Bosca, Gala 2, Mendoza, Argentina
I have a fondness for Malbec and Mendoza produces some of the best in the world and this one from Matías Riccitelli is flippin great.
A wonderfully deep purple in colour with aromas of cassis, blackcurrant, spice, leather and hints of violets it opens up with flavours of vanilla and caramel with a long lasting taste that is both elegant, pretty complex. This is a wine for a fillet steak or sipping in front of an open fire. Its grown up plonk, which at £30 is fortunate.
Matías Riccitelli, Malbec, 2015, Mendoza, Argentina
This Torrontes from Vinabla, Lujan de Cuyo in Argentina is a text book Torrontes and that is not a bad thing, dry and bold but with masses of fruit that balances it all. Wth smells of tropical fruit and blossom, there’s lots of flavours in there too, pineapple, mango, melon and peach which went very well with a chicken biryani with vegi curry.
At £9 a bottle its spot on the money and taste.
Viñalba, Selección, Torrontés, 2018, Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina
This Argentinian Malbec from Luna de Finca is a typical supermarket dry red wine. In this case from Lidl.
Its dry, with pepper and black fruit aromas, grippy tannins and lighter than you may think when you taste it. This is not a big bold Malbec but a lighter style. There’s oak flavours with plum, chocolate and earthy notes. Its not bad, not great but at £7 a bottle its what you would expect.
Chuck it with BBQ meat and a bit of sun and it will all be drunk. Pay another £3 or £4 a bottle from Lidl and you could get a much better red for the first BBQ with friends as we come out of lock down.
Luna de Finca, Agrelo, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina