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
Bold, dry and pretty smooth is how this Viniterra, Select Malbec 2017 could be described.
Deep in colour with aromas and flavours of blackberry, spice, oak and chocolate. It got a bronze medal at the Decanter International Wine Awards which is about right, the length is decent and it has decent flavours but nothing that elevates this to exceptional levels. A decent enough Malbec at about £12 a bottle.
Viniterra, Select Malbec 2017, Argentina
To sip an aged Malbec that has matured is a fine experience I was once told. An old wine is like silk rather than velvet. True, but it seems 11 years old is not old enough for a new world £15 Malbec. This is as fresh as when it was bottled, bold, dry, grippy tannins and flavours of sour cherry, spice and oak. It tastes better than it smells, not much going on the nose really, there’s a oaky cherry aroma but its all a bit one dimensional on all fronts. Maybe its been left too long or not long enough!
Its not bad but its pushing the price bracket, its a £10 or less bottle really.
Gran Lorca Poetice, Malbec 2009, Mendoza, Argentina
Malbec is normally, dry, bold and smooth. This is no different although both aromas and flavours are not quite as bold as I’ve had in the past. Its pretty smooth and and its dry. There are aromas of blackcurrant and an underlying dryness that makes this a sippable wine on its own or drinkable with food, bread and cheese is a good combination I found.
Flavours are black fruit as expected but they are not as expressive as I would have like. I like the dryness and smoothness. Its a good solid Malbec, just not fantastic. At £10 a bottle it is decent enough value.
I think the cat liked it!
Opi Malbec 2019, Mendoza, Argentina
There’s an oaky, light black fruit aroma thats a little underwhelming. The taste is different, thankfully. Smooth black fruit, blackcurrant, black cherry with hints of redcurrant and violets in there. Its got bold flavours and excellent length. We had this with Beef and it was great but I really enjoyed this on its own. Ay about £10 a bottle, whole sale price or about £25 at restaurant, its a great wine.
Capilla de Bazzo, Malbec 2017, Argentina