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Malbec

May We Suggest – Our Recommendations for New Year’s Eve

by Eleni-Glenn-Katrin on December 27, 2011

With Christmas and Hanukkah finally behind us, it will soon be time to mark the end of 2011.  To usher in the New Year, here are some of our suggestions for bubbles and brews of all forms.

Katrin – What to serve can sometimes depend on how many are going to be enjoying what you are pouring.  For two, nothing can beat an outstanding Champagne.  My choice is Camille Saves ‘Carte Blanche’. I first had this at the Federal Wine & Spirits annual Champagne tasting a couple of years ago, and it remains a favorite. For twenty (or more), a sparkling wine is festive and affordable. After enjoying the 90+ Cellars Lot 50 Prosecco, I just had to try the 90+ Cellars Lot 49 Prosecco Rosé. This is a fun wine with aromas of fresh black cherry and strawberry. And at only $11.99, you can serve it up to a crowd.

Eleni – I find New Year’s (small gatherings) to be a great Open That Bottle Night.  This year, I plan to open my 2008 Amancaya, made by one of my favorite Argentine collaborations: Caro (Barons De Rothschild – Lafite) and Nicolas Catena.  A 50/50 blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine will make an excellent toast to the new year and to a year of drinking more outstanding wines.

Glenn - As I’ve often remarked, a sparkler sets the tone for the evening. For NYE 2012, my first choice is the German Gilabert Rosat Brut Nature Cava. Typically, I find cavas boring – but not this one. Imported by José Pastor Selections which specializes in artisanal, traditionally made Spanish wines, this is a blend of the somewhat obscure Spanish varietal Trepat and the more commonplace Garnacha. The color is a beautiful shade of raspberry and the wine smells like a bowl of ripe red berries. The fruit carries over onto the palate and lingers through the finish. Wonderfully frothy - and since the wine is given no dosage (Brut Nature) –  completely dry. Beautiful in the glass and pleasing on the palate, this cava could also be an excellent base for cocktails.  And after the glut of holiday spending, the very reasonable price is an added enticement. $13.99 - at Whole Foods 340 River St.  Camb. MA

My next suggestion is to get cozy with The Mad Elf. This outstanding brew from Troeg is quite festive. The photo doesn’t truly convey the  ale’s beautiful ruby hue. Brewed with sweet and sour cherries, honey and chocolate malt,  the aroma is sweet, fruity, malty. Rich and smooth – with an IBU of 15 - and with moderate carbonation, this ale is meant to be sipped. My feeling is that it would also pair nicely with chocolate desserts. However, be prudent with The Mad Elf – the ABV is 11%! One wants to be awake at midnight. Unlike the cava, the Mad Elf is somewhat pricey – but worth it for celebrating the arrival of the allegedly catasclysmic 2012. $16.99 – at Kappy’s  Wellington Circle  Medford MA

No matter how you choose to celebrate, we wish you a Happy New Year and a wine-filled 2012!

-Eleni, Glenn, Katrin, Rodney

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Wine of the Week: 2009 Tikal Natural Malbec (100% Organic Malbec)

by katrin on October 25, 2011

Eleni and I are big fans for Tikal wines and respectively have reviewed the 2006 Amorio and 2003 Patriota. While Tikal has received high marks and recognition for making exciting wines featuring Bonarda, the 2009 Natural Malbec is a fantastic example of what impressive wines Ernesto Catena and winemaker Luis Reginato can make with 100% Malbec.

The first aroma to come out of the glass of dark purple wine is plum! Spicy, jammy plum, along with brambly notes and a hint of dust. On the palate, the plum combines with red raspberry, coffee bean, and the freshness of herbs, primarily dill and a bit of mint. Medium plus acidity and medium tannins provide structure that is neither wimpy nor overbearing. Tikal Natural has a lasting finish of red fruit. It was a perfect accompaniment to beef tenderloin, but is delicious on its own, too.

At Brix Wine Shop for $19.99.

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Wine Review: 2008 90+ Cellars Malbec Reserve (Lot 36) – Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza

by katrin on July 11, 2011

I grumbled all the way to the store to pick-up one of 90+ Cellars’ newest releases, the Lot 36 Malbec Reserve, and hoped that it would be worth the trip. I detest the concept of bulk warehouse stores like Costco and Sam’s, but this wine, according to 90+ Cellars’ most recent newsletter is available exclusively at BJ’s Wholesale Club. So, I made the journey to the Westborough BJ’s.

The Malbec Reserve is a dark purple with the varietal’s characteristic violet hue. The first sniff and sip indicated that this is a big wine with lots going on. It has aromas of black cherries, plum, blueberries, smoke, cedar, vanilla, and some faint floral notes. The palate has a core of dark fruits, spice, black pepper, and coffee. Though it is dry, there is the impression of sweetness from the ripe fruit and oak. Medium plus tannins and medium acidity, with a very long finish. The wine was tight in the beginning, but kept evolving and getting better. It would benefit from decanting, which I plan to do before drinking the second bottle.

I will say this wine was worth the trip, especially given the price. While it would complement a steak or other asado foods perfectly, it was a very good match for our Angus hamburgers. And at this price, you don’t have to feel guilty for pairing it with simpler dishes.

At BJ’s Wholesale Club in Westborough for $12.99.

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He Said, She Said – L’Espalier Argentina Wine Monday

by glenn and katrin on June 28, 2011

L’Espalier Wine Monday

Argentina

The Menu

First Pairing

2010 Crios de Susana Balbo, Torrontés, Salta

Apple Street Farm Greens with Shaved Carrot and Rhubarb

Second Pairing

2009 Alfredo Roca, Malbec, Mendoza

Roasted Lamb Sausage with Pearl Barley, Tomatoes and Kalamata Olives

Third Pairing

2009 Jean Bosquet [sic], “Reserva”,  Malbec, Tupungato Valley

Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri and Roasted Potatoes

Fourth Pairing

New Age, Sauvignon Blanc/Torrontés, Mendoza

Mt. Tam, Menage and Fourme d’Ambert

GLENN – We were eager to attend our first Wine Monday at L’Espalier on June 27th. The featured wines were from Argentina, one of our passions at WDWU. What interesting gems would Sommelier Erich Schliebe offer us? What wonderful culinary treats from the kitchen? And what imaginative pairings would we experience? Alas, the watchword for Wine Monday is casual, as in “off-the-cuff”. The wines were basically an uninspired selection of entry-level wines. Though Susana Balbo’s “Crios”  is a favorite of ours, this is a large scale production and not some undiscovered gem. I found a similar lack of depth in the choice of Malbecs. The first, the 2009 Alfredo Roca, was flat and unexciting. The second, the 2009 Jean Bousquet, was over-oaked. I don’t enjoy “chewing on an oak floor” (quote attributed to Kathy Benziger). And finally the fourth wine, billed as the most popular wine in Argentina and the mainstay of Buenos Aires nightlife, was a sweetened, carbonated concoction. (An aside about restaurant wine mark-up: additional glasses of wine were available for $12 a glass –  more than the wholesale, and in some cases the retail(!), cost for a bottle of any of these wines.) This was definitely “Argentina for Beginners.”

KATRIN – Glenn described the wine selection perfectly. I really had been looking forward to this dinner, and particularly the wine selection, for weeks, knowing that the wine list at L’Espalier is well-chosen, both elegant and comprehensive, and has a number of fine selections from Argentina. Plus my last experience at L’Espalier was stellar and unforgettable. If this was “Argentina for Beginners”, then I wouldn’t be surprised if it made would-be Argentina enthusiasts run back to European selections. Which is not to say they make bad wines. Quite to the contrary. Susana Balbo has become a flying winemaker in South America and Europe; Alfredo Roca has made wine in Argentina for four generations; Jean Bousquet immigrated from Southern France in the 1990s, where he had made wine; and Valentin Bianchi’s namesake and founder left Italy in 1910 to make his future in Argentina. 

GLENN – The food exhibited a similar lack of excitement. The  greens from Chef Frank McClelland’s farm in Essex were unremarkable – my salad a handful of baby spinach leaves, some of which were totally bruised; the vinaigrette, though, was well made. The lamb sausage – tasty, but overly salted – sat on a tasteless bed of barley. The flank steak was fine and as there are as many versions of chimichurri as there are cooks who make it. L’Espalier’s rendition was quite different – more an herb aioli. The meal ended though with a solid cheese plate – the triple creme “Mt. Tam” was at perfection and the tomme-like mixed milk “Menage” from Carr Valley Cheese provided a good contrast. And of course,  “Forme d’Aumbert” is always a reliable choice for the requisite bleu. The rye bread – a variation of Swedish rye – that accompanied the cheeses was outstanding. However, the cheese plate was done a disservice by the wine that accompanied it. Service, as one would expect, was professional and courteous except for the greeters at the doors who were overly scripted and effusive – honestly, I felt like a woman of a certain age being fawned over.

KATRIN - The impression I was left with was that the restaurant has a “you get what you pay for” mentality and that if you are only paying $65 for the privilege of dining there then that is the quality of the food and wine you should expect to receive. I asked Erich how the wines were selected and it seemed that the decision was based on price. A gem like the Bodega Chacra Barda Pinot Noir, which is on their wine list, wasn’t served because it would be too expensive. Meanwhile, only Susana Balbo’s Torrontés is on the wine list; the fact that the other three didn’t make the cut speaks volumes.

L'Espalier on Urbanspoon

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Celebrating Malbec World Day: Part II

by katrin on April 20, 2011

The Final Three for Malbec World Day

And here are the final three wines of our Malbec World Celebration!

2007 Bodega Monteviejo Lindaflor

Bodega Monteviejo is owned and operated by Catherine Pere-Verge of Chateau Le Gay. With international winemaker Michel Rolland heading up the winemaking, the winery is seeking to produce very high quality wines. Glenn and I tasted the entire Monteviejo line up of wines at this year’s Boston Wine Expo and enjoyed all of them.

As soon as we poured the inky black wine, we knew that the Lindaflor was different from the others in color…and in temperament. The Lindaflor matches the expectations many wine drinkers have of a New World style wine – big, ripe, extracted, and oaky.  It is not a bad thing or good thing; it is a particular style that some will like, others not. It actually works for this wine since there is plenty of verve to keep it lively. My initial impression was of sweet vanilla from the oak, but additional time in the glass yields black cherry and licorice. These combine with bitter chocolate and even a hint of minerality on the palate. High tannins, high acidity, and a long spicy finish.

At Wine Library for $49.98.

2007 Altocedro Año Cero

In  a tasting of noted winemakers, Karim Mussi might not be a household name, but we decided to give the Altocedro a try. Mussi, a Chilean of Lebanese descent, produces a small quantity of wine each year, with limited oak. In fact, there is no mention of oak for the Año Cero in the winemaker notes on their website.

The Altocedro had the unfortunate luck of following four intense, well-crafted, and sometimes oaky wines. And after the Lindaflor we all agreed that we would have appreciated this wine more had it come earlier in the line-up. Nevertheless, the Altocedro came across as fresh, with a nice purity of fruit. Plum and cassis are complement by some chocolate and minerality. It was much lighter than any of the other wines in the tasting, with decent acidity and light tannins. The following day, with taste buds not compromised by heartier wines, I enjoyed this selection.

At Brookline Liquor Mart for $17.50.

2008 Altos Las Hormigas Valle de Uco Reserva

The Altos Las Hormigas was somewhat a sentimental choice. When we were just starting the BU wine program, the winery’s Malbec (not the Reserva) was one of our favorites. And at about $10 a bottle, a bargain by our estimation.  Italian winemakers Alberto Antonini and Attilio Pagli have set out to create a “Malbec only” winery (though they do make some Bonarda under the Colonia Las Liebres label).

Black cherry and plum with licorice dominate, but there are also some rustic notes. What’s surprising is that despite having spent 18 months aging in oak, there is not an overt oakiness here. Mouthwatering acidity, grippy, but not overpowering, tannins, and a long finish of black fruit and licorice.

At Austin Liquors for $20.99.

It was difficult to choose a favorite, and interestingly, we had a split along gender lines. Eleni and I favored the Susana Balbo, while Chris and Glenn liked the Mendel. Even the night after Malbec World Day, I could not definitively say which wine I liked best. Each has its own character and flavors and textures to enjoy.  And that is really one of the things that I hope wine lovers can take away from this celebration of Malbec: that this grape has the versatility to be transformed into wines of a variety of styles and price-points to please pretty much all palates, whether you explore the grape’s Bordeaux roots or look to Argentine or US examples.

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Celebrating Malbec World Day: Part I

by katrin on April 19, 2011

We have been eagerly anticipating Malbec World Day ever since we first learned about it a couple of months ago.  Despite my early efforts to not overthink the wine selection, I did just that.  In the end, I tried to find representation from some of the key winemakers in Argentina today – the ones have had an impact on the industry or are still making a mark.  There were far more choices than we could possibly enjoy in one evening, and out of the 14 Malbecs that I had collected over time or purchased for the occasion we tasted seven (though I could easily have doubled that selection). So be sure to look for our next unofficial celebration of Malbec World Day!  To provide some sustenance for our wines, I made traditional Argentine empanadas – beef and chicken with chorizo – and an antipasto plate.

Did you celebrate Malbec World Day?  Share what you tried on our Facebook page. We would love to hear about it!

2009 Bodegas Alma Negra Sparkling Rosé of Malbec

As Glenn says, nothing starts a celebration like bubbles. Though I had reviewed this wine a few months ago, it met two key criteria: sparkling and produced by a key winemaker.  In this case, Alma Negra represents the Catena family, the leader of the Argentine quality revolution. The problem is choosing just one from Catena’s many wines ranging from $10 to $100+ or a wine from his daughter Laura’s Luca brand or son Ernesto’s Tikal brand. This lovely rosé is from Ernesto Catena’s second project, Bodegas Alma Negra.

At Gordon’s Fine Wine for $19.99.

Half of our Malbec World Day Line-up

2008 Susana Balbo Signature Malbec

Susana Balbo is one of a handful of women Argentine winemakers who have risen to the level of international acclaim.  She worked at Catena Zapata and as a wine consultant internationally for many years before launching her own winery, Domino Del Plata. Her Crios line has become known as a great “value” line, with prices generally between $12 and $16. The Signature line is the next step up and the care and quality is evident here.

We initially thought this was a very hot (i.e. alcoholic) wine, and certainly has spiciness to it. There is concentrated white pepper on the nose and palate. But there is also a wonderful purity of fruit, particularly boysenberry, cherry, and raspberry, that has not been dominated by oak. Any fears of the wine having high alcohol are overcome by the grippy tannins and moderate acidity. It is silky and delightful. A long finish with notes of ripe strawberry pie and chocolate.

At Gordon’s Fine Wine for $24.99

2009 Achával-Ferrer Malbec

While Achával-Ferrer is best known for their impressive single vineyard wines that consistently earn high ratings, this much more affordable Malbec is a blend of grapes from three vineyards – Mayor Drummond, La Consulta and Medrano. Made by noted Italian winemaker Roberto Cipresso, this Malbec was aged nine months in French oak.

Even after having been decanted for more than 90 minutes before we tasted it, the Achával-Ferrer was tight and reserved. It had a perfumey nose that Glenn described as “an old lady’s handkerchief drawer” and this carried over to the palate as violets.  We felt that this was simultaneously an Old World style wine and also the most Argentine. While this may seem like a contradiction, I believe that it more closely reflects the wines that Argentines drink daily.

When I revisited the wine the next day, blueberry, pencil shavings, black tea, and an herbaceous quality, especially on the palate, emerged. The last vintage of this wine that I had was 2006, which I was not crazy about. There was something quite disjointed about the oak in that wine. The 2009 vintage has some of that as well, but luckily it does not dominate.

At Wine Library for $15.98.

2007 Mendel Wines Malbec

Mendel is made by Argentine Roberto de la Mota, formerly of French-owned wineries Terrazas de los Andes and Cheval de los Andes.  The son of Raul de la Mota, the long-time winemaker at Bodega Weinert, Roberto grew up in the wine industry and is now making his mark at Mendel.

After the Achával-Ferrer, the Mendel seemed much more relaxed and fruity. It was still quite tannic, but all of the key elements were well-knit. By the second day, it had developed a slight sour milk aroma, which eventually dissipated.  Cherry, chocolate, vanilla, and blackberry on the nose. The mouthfeel remained big with intense, velvety tannins and a fresh minerality.

At WineNation for $26.99.

Up next: Our last three Malbec World Wines…

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Malbec World Day Decisions – Part II

by katrin on April 14, 2011

After much pondering, some of it with the help of Malbecs from Ruta 22 and Graffigna, I decided to focus our Malbec World Day tasting on some of the key winemakers – Catena, Balbo, Hobbs, Cipresso, Antonini, de la Mota. But even this is proving to be a difficult decision, as there are many Argentine and international winemakers who are making great Malbecs.

So, it’s on to another Malbec to seek inspiration. This time it is a bottle of the 2008 Bodegas Graffigna Malbec Reserve Centario. Graffigna was founded in 1870(!) in San Juan, the province to the north of Mendoza, and has been producing wine ever since.

Another fairly dark, violet Malbec. There is lots of black berry and white pepper on the nose, with a hint of green peppers and vinyl. I’m usually not a fan of green notes in wine (and it is a big part of why I haven’t liked many of the Chilean wines I have tasted), but I don’t mind it so much here. Medium tannins and medium, lasting acidity give the fruit good structure.  The Graffigna Centario has a medium plus, somewhat jammy finish.

At Vinodivino for $14.50.

PS We hope you will join us on Sunday, April 17 as we tweet and post updates on Facebook for Malbec World Day!

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Decisions, Decisions: Drinking My Way To Malbec World Day

11 April 2011

Malbec World Day is only six days away and the Wine Dine With Us team is eagerly looking forward to celebrating the occasion together. Since I will be hosting, I have been working on gathering the wine selection and creating a short, but appropriate, menu of snacks to enjoy with the wines. But it’s not [...]

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Wine Review: 2006 Flechas de Los Andes Gran Malbec

3 April 2011

Mark your calendars: Malbec World Day is just a mere two weeks away. I can barely contain my excitement as I count down the days to April 17 and our Malbec roundtable! As a preview, I couldn’t resist opening this 2006 Malbec by Michel Rolland, which has been cellaring for the past two years.
This [...]

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Beyond Malbec: Argentina’s Big Red Blends Roundtable

22 March 2011

On a cool, sunny Sunday afternoon, Glenn and I tasted six big, bold Argentine blends. I had been gathering these wines since fall in preparation for a Roundtable tasting. And now with spring, Easter dinner, and grilling season on our doorstep, it was time to finally taste them.
While I am, of course, a fan of [...]

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