25 April 2012 2010 Graffigna Centenario Malbec Reserve

2010 Graffigna Centenario Malbec Reserve

April 25, 2012 By

Nearly black in the glass, this Argentine wine is fragrant with dark berries on the nose.  On the palate, this medium to full-bodied wine offers aromas of ripe raspberries, dates and notes of pumpkin pie spices.  The finish is medium in length and showcases oaky and peppery notes.

I poured half the bottle through my Vinturi wine aerator and had the rest straight out of the bottle.  Aerating or decanting would be optimal for this young wine.

Pairings:  Grilled rack of lamb or Thai food.

Style: Red

Grape Type(s): Malbec

Region: San Juan, Argentina

Around $10.

This wine was provided to me for sampling and I am adding to my repertoire as it is truly enjoyable.

 

Filed Under: Argentina, Malbec, Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
13 April 2012 World Malbec Day – Celebrate from the Comforts of Home

World Malbec Day – Celebrate from the Comforts of Home

April 13, 2012 By

World Malbec Day, April 17th, offers an interesting platform for Malbec lovers to compare wines of this varietal, share their thoughts about them on Twitter and Facebook, see what other tasters have to say and add new wines to their favorites list.

If you’ve never participated in an online wine tasting, it’s great fun:

  1. Buy your favorite bottle of the featured grape varietal, in this case, Argentine Malbec.
  2. Invite some folks to share the experience, or snuggle in your JPs in front of the computer.
  3. Sip and share your wine comments with other tasters from around the world!

What I’ll be uncorking for the big day:

  • 2010 Graffigna Centenario Malbec, an affordable ($12) little number from Argentina.

Remember to use the hashtag #MalbecDay to participate in the celebrations on Twitter (are we connected there? @foodwinechickie) or share your tasting notes on the Wines of Argentina Facebook page.

About Malbec:  Malbec is medium to full-bodied and offers ripe fruit flavors of plums and blackberry with notes of vanilla, spice and tobacco.

Typical Malbec Food Pairings:  Red meats are the perfect pairing for Malbec, but it can also stand up to spicy Mexican, Cajun, Indian or Italian foods.  BBQ is great matched with Malbec.

Salud!

Veronique

Filed Under: Other Neat Things, Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
25 December 2010 2008 Kaiken Corte

2008 Kaiken Corte

December 25, 2010 By

2008 Kaiken Corte

Decided to uncork this wine at Christmas dinner (turkey, spiced meatball stew, dark meat stuffing) even though it wasn’t the best option and my fellow diners unanimously said that they’d drink this wine any day with food it shouldn’t be paired with. It was great!

The 2008 Kaiken Corte is a dark purplish ruby in the glass.  It’s jammy fruit, black licorice and dark chocolate on the nose.  In the glass, this wine is velvety yet bold with layers of ripe dark berries, spicy notes and a lonnnnnng finish.  Kept thinking of BBQ ribs as I sipped on this Argentinean wine. 80% Malbec , 12% Bonarda, 8% Petit Verdot.

This wine was provided to me for sampling and I’m adding to my repertoire as it’s truly enjoyable.

At around $12 a bottle, a case won’t break the bank but will have your guests praising this neat wine at your next BBQ.

Filed Under: Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

2007 Alta Vista Atemporal Blend

April 8, 2010 By
2007 Alta Vista Atemporal

2007 Alta Vista Atemporal

I selected this wine for a ‘blends’ tasting last week since it’s 43% Malbec, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Syrah, and 10% Petit Verdot.

The 2007 Alta Vista Atemporal is just about the darkest purple wine you’ll find and it’s gorgeous to look at in the glass.  The nose is light upon uncorking but decanting for 30 minutes enhanced the bouquet and brought out some notes of spice and black cherry.  This Mendoza, Argentina wine was aged for 12 months in French oak.  The taste is floral from the Malbec, smoky from the Syrah and with some light tannins from the Cabernet.  The finish is long and enjoyable.  Good buy at the price point.

90 Points by Wine Spectator

Around $15.

Filed Under: Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,