Open Mike: Malbec from Argentina.

Nice Tom, have emailed the rep as FF wines hard to find here in Albertaland. Guess they are allocated. Yours seemed fairly traditional malbec, not the "international" type!! The burger notion is noted.

PS...who would have thought we would have made it to 8 pages?!

Four recent Malbec notes:

2004 Alberto Furque, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, $13. Inky purple in the glass, the nose is characterized by black fruits, smoke and spice. The wine is loaded with plums and berries, backed by moderate tannins and bright acids; 88/90.

2004 Bodegas Nieto Senetiner, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, $9. The wine is underscored by plum, dried fruit and oak accents. It is well balanced, with bright acidity and soft tannins. This is a nice, inexpensive Malbec for those grilled burgers; 84/86.

2006 El Portillo, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, $12. Purple in color, with lovely blackberry, cigar leaf and cedar aromas. The wine is nicely balanced and fruity in the mouth, with berry/cherry/plum notes and modest tannins; 85/87.

2005 Salentein, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, $16. This deep purple wine is intensely aromatic, with a mélange of black fruits unfolding in the mouth. Tannins are firm but manageable. This is just the wine for that Porterhouse you’ve been eyeing; 87/90.

Hey Randy, just had the '04 Nieto Senetiner night before last and yup, it went quite well with burgers hot and medium rare off of the grill. Haven't had the '05 Salentein yet, but in the past, I've liked their Cab even better than the Malbec.

Just my 2 oz.,

geo

I checked back on my impressions of the `03 Senetiner which turned out pretty average. Good to see the `04 is a better effort! All you Malbec Hounds a-doing a great job!!

Randy, good review of your Salentein on Jamie goode`s website. See his blog at http://www.wineanorak.com

For a great Malbec and Cabernet in the USD $9-$12 range, I suggest you guys try to get:

Benegas Juan Benegas Malbec
Benegas Luna Benegas Cabernet

This producer, Bodega Benegas, also makes a good Chardonnay in the same price range, Clara Benegas Chardonnay.

Hey all of you Malbec lovers - I have a question for you! We've recently been getting some high-end Malbecs over here (judging by the price anyway). Any ideas how they are: Trapiche Malbec Viña Carlos Gei Berra Single Vineyard, Viña Pedro Gonzalez Single Vineyard and Viña Victorio Coletto Single Vineyard all 2004s and all 28€/bottle. Is this horribly overpriced? How is the oaking on these? Also at a more manageable price we recently got Paisaje de Tupungato 2004 - is this a Bx blend and how is it? No info on Alko's web site.

-O-

Hi Otto-- the Trapiche Wines you are mentioning are their Single Vineyard Malbecs. These wines retail for about USD$45 in most US locations where they are available, so the price you mention at below 30 Euros is a very good one.

Im stepping out on a limb here... but by what Ive read so far from many of your tasting notes, Im not sure these wines will be very much to your liking. I find they have proper Oak integration, but my guess is that you will find them a little too over the top. As I mention above, Im taking a guess here... lets hope you still decide to open one of these and prove me wrong!!

On a side note, while I think these wines are very good examples of high quality Argentine Malbec, they are not the best of what is made down here. For real High End Malbecs, expect to pay north of 50 Euros if you are buying some of the limited edition super old vine Malbecs.

[Jenise]

Alejandro, I've just posted a question about Argentinian barbecue traditions in the Food section--please drop by there and give me some pointers. I need your help!

Jenise

lets hope you still decide to open one of these and prove me wrong!!

Thanks for the infor Alejandro, I'll try one. Since they bottle them as single vineyards, I guess there must be significant enough differences to make that worthwhile. So can you tell me which of the three vineyards I should try since my tastes are what they are?

-O-

Otto, I would say you try the Pedro Gonzalez.

2004 Trapiche Malbec Mendoza Vina Victorio Coletto Argentina. Daniel Pi, winemaker. Deep red color, deep hue, lovely dried fruit and cedar aromas, sweetish tastes of dried fruit, spice and cedar, medium mouth feel, smooth tannins, long complex finish. A very nice Malbec. Good EGA, equal to aroma. 4*.

Notes: http://www.trapiche.com.ar 3696 feet.

Bob.. if you liked the Trapiche style, I suggest you seek out the Trapiche Iscay. Its a 50% 50% blend of Malbec and Merlot, and should be in approx. the same price range of the Trapiche Single Vineyards.

Thanks, Alejandro. There's some real critical difference of opinion on this wine, at least the 2002 vintage:

Rated: 78
Raisin, prune and coffee notes, with a thick, overtly toasty finish. Heavy-handed, with only oak to support it. Dull and tiring to drink. 1,000 cases made. Wine Spectator.

Rated: 90
Bright dark ruby. Aromas of black raspberry, dark chocolate, graphite and high-quality oak. Lush and sweet, with flavors of dark berries and sexy oak spices; hints at exotic ripeness without going pruney. Not the last word in complexity but satisfying, ripe and long. Steve Tanzer.

A shop in New York has it on sale next week -- might be fun to pick up a bottle and see who I agree with.

Bob R...go for it as you are already qualified as a Malbec Hound!!

Otto.....depending on your upcoming TN, we will definately think of admitting you to the MH club once you have cracked at least a couple of malbecs!!! Cahors does not count.

WTN: `03 Malbec Mendoza, Susana Balbo.

After the terrific Acrux from Fournier, I thought this would be right up there in typicite. Just took me long enough to get around to opening it!

Susana has a very good reputation (look for her Crios label) and has been a winemaker since `91. She travels the world and knows her stuff! Her husband produces under the Ben Marco label I believe.

13.5% alc, natural cork, decanted an hour. Unfiltered, think there is 9% cab here but some confusion? Cost is around $26 Cdn.

Color. Big intense centre, ruby purple throughout. Thick colored rim.

Nose. Initially blackberry, black cherry, violets, oak, spice. Some tobacco after 3 hrs, not much change overnight maybe tad more meaty? By day 3 has developed some savoury tones and has hit its peak I`d say.

Palate. First thoughts on entry was "have I opened too early?". Tons of backbone here, very good acidity. Black pepper, raspberry, cherry all dominate. Big tannins, not quite velvety stage yet. Sure there is some oak here but of no concern at this early stage.
Blackcurrant after 3 hrs, mineral element too and some ripeness comes through. No fading of flavors overnight and staff (and Bob McDonald) at DeVines found the dregs wonderful!!

This malbec will definately develope in time so I will hang on to the other 2 bottles. I say buy if you see it!!

Food was Bison burger with sauteed mushrooms and caramelised onions. Yum!

I am a big Malbec fan also. Last night we had a nice mendoza Malbec/Cab 60/40 mix by Finca Finchman. It was the Expressions reserva. I have posted a tasting note on it before. It was a great match with a marinated strip loin that was grilled to a nice medium rare on the barbeque. I love malbecs with steak and mixing it with cabernet sauvignon made it that much better of a match with grilled steak. Even my wife said it was a tasty wine and for to say that it means the wine has to be smooth, quality wine.

I finally managed to track down some Finca Flichman!!! The rep claims the Syrah is pretty good too. Both in town now so off I go!!! My one concern is the fact it is the `06 vintage and could be a tad young (do not want to use the o.. word).

Hi Bob,

Your persistence paid off! Tell me how you like the FFs. I think they are good QPRs myself because I think they are very good for under $15 for some and just over $15 for the Expressions Malbec/Cab blend. That was my favorite of the FFs. Good BBQ wines too! And my wife likes them because they are not too tannic.

Believe it or not, I only paid $11 Cdn!! Cannot believe it was this price(grin). Yellow Tail costs more than that.

Great price!

I think I paid $12.95 CAN for my FF malbec reserva and I thought that was a decent price. LCBO has been inflating vintages prices lately, however. That's the problem with a provincial liquour monoply!

Thought I would revisit the `04 Kaiken Malbec after a 6 month hiatus as I was really impressed with the first bottle ( notes posted here on this thread).

WTN: `04 Malbec Kaiken, Mendoza.

Nose had some plum and more initail oak than the other bottle. There is a hint of volutility here (or something), could even be slightly corked maybe? Colour the same as before, namely dark ruby purple with medium intense centre. Thin watery violet tinges on the rim.
On the palate there is definately a change here although the cherry, blackcurrant and blackberry is still to forefront. The dustyness is still there, finish is not as juicy as expected. Has a hint of bitterness after 3 hrs so obviously a faulty bottle. I always figure out corkyness pretty good but needed a pal from my local store (where i purchased the bottles) to confirm. Not a bad example but its there folks!

Bob-- interesting coincidence, Kaiken makes its wines at the Benegas Winery.... (they still dont have their own facility in Mendoza).

Thought I would revisit the `04 Kaiken Malbec after a 6 month hiatus as I was really impressed with the first bottle ( notes posted here on this thread).

WTN: `04 Malbec Kaiken, Mendoza.

Nose had some plum and more initail oak than the other bottle. There is a hint of volutility here (or something), could even be slightly corked maybe? Colour the same as before, namely dark ruby purple with medium intense centre. Thin watery violet tinges on the rim.
On the palate there is definately a change here although the cherry, blackcurrant and blackberry is still to forefront. The dustyness is still there, finish is not as juicy as expected. Has a hint of bitterness after 3 hrs so obviously a faulty bottle. I always figure out corkyness pretty good but needed a pal from my local store (where i purchased the bottles) to confirm. Not a bad example but its there folks!

Let me get this straight, Bob: This TN is of a corked bottle? Why write a TN if you're sure (I mean, with your friend's confirmation) that the bottle is faulty?

Just wondering.

I posted on my dodgy bottle cos we have some newbies who are trying to learn from this forum. Educational value is important too, is it not? I thought it would be of interest to talk one through it.

I posted on my dodgy bottle cos we have some newbies who are trying to learn from this forum. Educational value is important too, is it not? I thought it would be of interest to talk one through it.

Ah, the newbies... Okay, then. Anything for the newbies.

Still, it doesn't seem clear how that bottle was "corky". What are the key descriptors linked to TCA in your mind? Make believe I'm a newbie who needs to know...

There was definately something on the nose that alerted me. I wrote "Volutile" but not perhaps the proper word. I always relate to that musty, cardboard smell but it was not a strong pointer to me this time around.... but after others sampled, I could relate. The finish was not a big disaster but the unpleasant bitterness was really noted. Pity as an excellent wine in the past, here`s to a successful `05!