The Wine Insiders » Malbec

Don Juan Nahuel Malbec Reserva 2006 – 95 Points!

thewineinsiders — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:13:01 +0000

Two words popped into my mind as I sipped this Don Juan Reserva: “Oh my”. This is what Malbec is supposed to taste like! All the hype you hear about South American wines comes to fruition in this one bottling. It’s dense and rich and powerful. It’s got the chocolate and vanilla and ripe fruit. There’s spice box and a bit of cedar. There’s ripe cherry and fig. There’s the long lasting finish. It really does compete with the best of the big Cabernets from Napa and yet…it’s less than $40. Awesome!!

“Rich, dense and very well-focused, with a rock-solid core of blackberry, fig and raspberry ganache flavors layered with alluring cocoa powder, exotic spices and plush oak. The long, seductive finish has great underlying brightness, allowing the silky smooth texture to appear seamless. Enjoy tonight through 2016 with any grilled meats or mushrooms!” - 95 points, The Wine Insiders

Purchase this wine at Porthos!

Viña Cobos Corte uNico Marchiori Vineyard 2008 – 98 points (Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate)

thewineinsiders — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:07:56 +0000

“The 2008 Cobos Corte uNico Marchiori Vineyard is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Malbec. Purple/black in color, it surrenders an impressive bouquet of pain grille, pencil lead, floral notes, Asian spices, licorice, espresso, and assorted black fruits. Loaded on the palate, this full-bodied behemoth is dense, powerful and complex. Give it 5-7 years to become a bit more civilized and drink it through 2028, perhaps longer.” 98 points The Wine Advocate’s Jay Miller

We recently had the privilege of tasting this monster with a field of “who’s who” Napa Cabernets and it stood head and shoulders above them all. It’s being hailed as the “Screaming Eagle of South America” and I must admit, that is actually a worthy title. Powerful and hedonistic with silky tannins and a finish that lasts and lasts. This is an absolutely stunning wine from Paul Hobbs’ Argentinean property.

Buy This wine at Porthos

Produced by Paul Hobbs

Altocedro Malbec Blend ‘Desnudos’ 2004 – 97 Points

thewineinsiders — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:13:58 +0000

This is a captivating wine that is both rich and concentrated, but focused, with a racy beam of raspberry ganache, blueberry, fig and plum fruit and freshly roasted coffee and vanilla bean notes. The velvety smooth finish just sails on for a full minute. The blend of Malbec and Tempranillo adds a deliciously exotic component guaranteed to seduce your senses anytime now (after decanting) through 2014.

Buy this wine at Porthos.

Argentina Wine Focus.

thewineinsiders — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:57:53 +0000

Argentina enjoys a storied history of relaxed, late night dinners and a festive wine culture, historically focused on highly tannic Malbecs and Cabernet blends to accompany the national obsession with red meat at virtually every meal! Argentinian Malbecs have recently gained world class collector status through the tireless efforts of local leaders and international pioneers to produce elegant, refined wines with more polished tannins ideal for long term aging. While the Malbec grape is one of the original five varietals of the prized red wines from Bordeaux, France, Malbec has not achieved noble recognition from serious wine collectors until recently. Today, Argentinian Malbec is on the short list of “must haves” for any diverse collection or chic restaurant wine list. The Catena family is widely recognized as one of Argentina’s “first families” of wine (similar to the Mondavi clan in Napa) and have garnered praise plus “Classic 95 – 99” point ratings for their “Zapata” Malbec. Legendary Napa Cabernet winemaker Paul Hobbs has raised the stakes among South American vintners with his remarkable “Cobos” project based in the Mendoza region of Argentina. The recently released Vina Cobos Marchiori Vineyard Malbec 2006 (rated 99 points by Robert Parker) is nothing short of breathtaking and one of the Top 5 most enchanting wines I have sampled in the past year.

94 Point Malbec from Argentina!

thewineinsiders — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:06:06 +0000

Andeluna Limited Reserve Malbec 2004

Set among the foothills of the Andes, Andeluna Cellars is a remarkably beautiful place to behold and is the source of the spectacular Limited Reserve Malbec 2004 we just rated “Outstanding 94” points. This guaranteed thriller is:

BOTH elegant + exotic tasting (see notes below)
Sourced from vineyards originally planted by world famous winemaker Michel Rolland, directly next door to his own vineyards.
A “Steal” (!) at only $39 due to the Argentine Peso’s exchange rate (one currency where US dollar is still strong!)

THE WINE INSIDERS “OUTSTANDING 94” RATING: “Remarkably elegant yet exotic tasting, this is the finest quality Malbec we’ve discovered this year! Lusciuos deep flavors of plum, dried black cherries and currant provide a base for soft, savory spice seasonings deftly melded together with elegant and plush tannins that bode well for aging 3 – 5 years, peaking around 2010 in our estimate. Rich notes of dark chocolate emerge gracefully on the smooth finish. Enjoy tonight after decanting ½ hour with grilled beef or game! 94 points.

WINE SPECTATOR REVIEW: “Argentina’s red wines are emerging from obscurity to capture the fancy of American wine lovers, delivering vivid fruit flavors and plush textures…Argentina’s top Malbecs are rich, fleshy, fruit-driven wines, with flavors of blackberry, blueberry and plum that are accented by signature notes of meat or game and spices. They generally show plenty of toasty, chocolaty oak, plush textures and a good balance between acidity and tannins.”

#1 Exotic MALBEC

thewineinsiders — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:29:32 +0000

Our #1 most exotic new international discovery is Tritono Malbec 2004 if you can find it. Note: less than 50 cases of this wine were originally available in America today (that’s 1 per state!) Sourced from Argentina, home of the finest Malbec in the world today, this wine delivers the bold experience we love from Napa Cabernet combined with the luscious ripe fruit unique to Malbec. Trust us, we’ve never sampled a more exciting red wine experience for less than $40. Plus, due to the Argentine Peso’s exchange rate (one currency where US dollar is still strong!) an equal quality collector wine would command an $80+ price tag had it been made in Napa.

THE WINE INSIDERS “OUTSTANDING 93″ RATING: Intense perfumed notes of lavender oil and violets mingle with notes of spice and dark fruit. Lusciuos deep flavors of plum, dried black cherries and currant provide a base for soft, lilting spice seasonings. Softened by 18 months in bottle, this wine is drinking beautifully now and will continue to improve for five to seven years.

93 points TheWineInsiders.com

Currently this wine is available for $39 (Click Here)