WTN: 6 Malbecs

Rob hosted our little local group on a truly frigid Friday night, with Malbec as the theme. He put out a nice assortment of cheeses, cured meats, olives, fruit, vegetables, and dips. Nice group though a couple couldn't make it, all wines were blind

#1 Nice ripeness, dark berry fruit, light oak, moderate tannins, better with meat. 2006 Altos Los Hormigas Malbec. B+/B

#2 Very different, light bodied for Malbec, a little herbal edge that makes me wonder if it's Loire Cot, light tannins, bright red fruit. 2006 Clos Siguier Cahors. B

#3 - my wine, no guesses from me. Big, heavy, extracted, with mocha/coffee oak tones and a rather dense mouthfeel. Maybe better with a steak, but not a wine I enjoyed on it's own. 2006 Vina Cobos Bramare Malbec. C+ (though it was a bit better revisted couple hours later)

# 4 I got a little fecal note at first, but not dominate. Medium bodied, red fruit, a bit short. Others liked more than I. I thought I got some reductive burnt rubber notes. 2007 Trumpeter Malbec. C+

#5 Modern, light vanilla oak, fairly smooth, a bit anonymous but tasty enough. 2006 Ruca Malen Malbec, B/B-

#6 Big ripe blackberry and black cherry fruit, some oak and herb, good length. A tad overglossy, but not as much as the Bramare, good modern styled wine. 2006 Catena Malbec B

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

[David M. Bueker]

That's the thing about exploring Argentinian wine from US stores - lots of bruisers that only work if you are eating a live cow.

Dale, I think you liked the 04 Ruca Malen malbec (according to an older TN). I had it by the glass in Buenos Aires in September and liked it too (using more generous, "by the glass" standards).

Seems like the selection was weighted towards international style malbecs which, as David notes, are pretty much all that one finds up here. The regular Catena is, I think, the best cost/benefit of the whole Catena line, and the Trumpeter may have been an off bottle, as Rutini does a pretty decent job most of the time. Altos las Hormigas I have difficulties with, as it usually epitomizes the international style.

Just a few days ago, the Teperberg winery released Israel's first varietal Malbec. My tasting note follows.

Best
Rogov

Teperberg, Malbec, Terra, 2007: Developed in new French and American oak barriques for 12 months, dark garnet in color, medium- to full-bodied, with firm tannins well balanced by notes of sweet toast and vanilla. On the nose and palate plums, black cherries, and notes of cocoa. Not an Argentinean nor a Cahors Malbec but one with a distinct Mediterranean personality. Drink now or in the next year or two. NIS 65 (about US$ 17). Score 88. K (Re-tasted 13 Jan 2009)

Just a few days ago, the Teperberg winery released Israel's first varietal Malbec. My tasting note follows.

Just tasted it today. Very nice indeed. Personally I would rate it a little higher - 89 rather than 88.

No question at all that Shiki Rauchberger is doing great things at Teperberg!

That's the thing about exploring Argentinian wine from US stores - lots of bruisers that only work if you are eating a live cow.