Last night we drank polar opposites, a Brazilian Cabernet Franc with 11.4% alcohol and an Argentine Malbec with 14.4%. About as different as the bossa nova and the tango. Both were unbalanced in opposite ways, underripe and overripe, but with distinct personalities. Towards the end I blended them into a glass and the result was, well, balanced, but kind of bland. Perhaps because it lacked any identity.
The Cab Franc is made by a winery owned by descendants of Italian immigrants and comes in a Chianti bottle. It has been made uninterruptedly for over 20 years, a rarity in these parts. In 2002, as is common in the winegrowing regions of the Brazilian south, there was too much rain and not enough sunshine, so the grapes were picked less than optimally mature.
2002 Don Giovanni Cabernet Franc Pinto Bandeira 11.4%
Brett dominates the nose, but we’re tolerant chez nous. Mouth is better, with medium body, tangy acidity and a salty finish. Fruit is pleasant, but dominated by the acidity. Comes into something resembling balance with fatty cheeses. A traditionally made wine, honest and unpretentious, made angular and scrawny by the difficult vintage.
2004 Altos las Hormigas Malbec Reserva Viña Hormigas Mendoza 14.4%
Rich nose of blackberries, tar and olives. Overly ripe and sweet, revealing extra notes of coffee and chocolate, with a touch of alcohol burn where more acidity should be. Oak is well integrated but tannins are way too smooth.