2006 Terrazas de los Andes Malbec Mendoza 13.5% US price $9/Brazil price $18
After a recent very positive review from Steven Noess, I became curious to try this, having previously thought that only the reserve Terrazas was worth buying. Bright, deep purple color. Predominantly cherry aromas with light cocoa and vanilla. Good mouthfeel, good acid/fruit balance, correct acidity before food (for me, an excellent sign). After food (chicken cutlet and cheese omelet), acidity remains balanced, the cocoa becomes more prominent, and additional notes of coffee emerge. Even after a sliced pear I had for dessert, the acidity remained correct. In short, exceeded low expectations by a wide margin, and is not only good cost/benefit but good benefit. This corroborates the notion proposed by Eric Asimov in a recent NY Times roundup of malbecs that, for many producers, the basic offerings are more satisfying than the superextracted fat & silky reservas because they have less alcohol, less oak and more acidity.