2008 Antigal UNO Malbec Mendoza Argentina

I know I’ve said this before but man have I got a great gig. A few weeks ago I received a wine sample and press release from Antigal Winery and Estates located in Mendoza Argentina. This sample was a bottle of their 2008 UNO Malbec. I think this may have been one of the nicest Malbecs I’ve had in awhile.

Aromas of spice, earth and plum waft out of the glass. Refined black fruits and more spice hit the palate. The finish carries a hint of vanilla and oak. The wine is medium to full bodied yet retains silky smooth tannins.

UNO is the winery’s limited-production wine. The unique and beautiful bottle would draw anyone’s attention immediately. Arriving in the US around the same time the Malbec craze began, UNO offered a new style of Malbec by substituting multi-layered elegance for the typical powerhouse intensity.

Antigal Winery is located in Maipú, Argentina which has the honor of being called the birthplace of Argentinean wine. Built in 1897 and having gone through many renovations the winery is state-of–the-art with equipment from France and Italy. By using a gravity-flow system the need for forceful pumps and crushers has been eliminated.

The vineyards are located in Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina and benefit from Mendoza’s highest elevations. Planted in strategic locations to take advantage of the snow-melt from the Andes Mountains. Each varietal location was chosen to take advantage of the best growing conditions. High elevations provide hot days and cool nights, high amounts of ultra-violet rays from the sun, and beneficial air circulations. Each contributes to the flavor and aromatics of the grape.

Hand harvested and pruned the pure flavors and aromatics shine through. This wine was truly a wonderful surprise and I hope to have the opportunity to sample more in the Antigal line in the near future.

2011© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.
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2008 Elsa Bianchi Malbec

I truly enjoy Malbec wines and rarely find one I don’t like. While tonight was not an exception to this rule, the 2008 Elsa Bianchi Malbec while drinkable was in this wine drinker opinion, well, just average.

Aromas full of oak and black pepper and flavors boasting with high tannins and a lot of jammy flavors upfront. I think it was the overly sweet jam flavors that killed it for me. Mid palate and you’re hit with spiciness followed by a nice smooth finish.

Technical Stuff:
Alcohol: 14.1%
Appellation: Mendoza
Sub-Appellation: San Rafael
Varietal: 100% Malbec

The Argentine wine industry is currently the fifth largest wine producer and Malbec is certainly the most widely planted grape.Under Argentine wine laws, if a grape name appears on the wine label, at least 80% of the wine must be composed of that grape variety. While Malbec began in Southwest France it’s now king in Argentina and is most often associated with that region. The Argentine Malbec differs from its French relatives as the Argentina grapes have smaller berries in tighter, smaller clusters. The varietal is typically deep in color and intense fruity flavors with a velvety texture. As of 2003 there were over 50,000 acres of Malbec.

While an average wine isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I think I’ll skip this wine in future purchases. If you would like to experience for yourself, I found this wine at ABC Fine Wine & Liqour for less than $7.50.

2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

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2008 Opi Malbec and nail polish remover.....

Fall has arrived in Florida, at least for the next day or two. Tonight is the first night since May where we can enjoy sitting on our deck overlooking our Koi pond while sipping a glass of wine. Even Wine Kitty is outside enjoying the dry and cooler temps. Tonight’s wine selection is 2008 Opi Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina.

It smells familiar but I can’t put my finger on it, later I realize, it’s nail polish remover or acetone. Thankfully it doesn’t taste like nail polish remover but it is medium to even light in body style. The flavor doesn’t linger very long either. I take in lots of berry, oak and spice flavors but as soon as it hits the palate all I’m left with is an alcohol taste.

I tried to find more info on the wine and the winery but I was unable to find a website. All I can tell you is what I get off the bottle. The grapes are handpicked from the vineyard in the Maipu region of Mendoza and the winemaker is Rudolfo Sadler. I did have some left in the bottle the next day and was curious to see if the nail polish scent disappeared. I’m happy to report it has dissipated but when I take another sip the flavors are still there but still not much of a finish.

Oh well, on to the next wine in our wine adventure.

Chickadee word of the day:
Acetone – a wine with a sharp but slightly sweet and somewhat fruity smell typically caused by ethyl acetate.

2009© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

2008 Phebus Malbec

I better write this quick as the sun is going down and our area is experiencing a power outage. We’re approaching the second hour of the outage and yes I paid the bill. I was just about to do some farming on Farmville when the whole house powered down. Good thing wine opening and drinking doesn’t require electricity.

I feel around in the wine refrigerator and grab the first bottle, ah Phebus Malbec, a wine I have not yet had. Berries, strawberries and oak hit my nose, the wine is fruit forward with a smooth finish. I can’t tell you anything about the color or viscosity other than it’s dark, much like the rest of the house. Here’s something interesting, the bottle states 70% Malbec, 15% Merlot and 15% Cabernet however the website lists the wine as 100% Malbec. Not sure which is correct but I can tell you the winery is located in Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina. Grapes are hand sortted prior to the destemming. With a second hand sorting table for the grapes as they come out of the destemmer. This process ensures only the highest quality grapes go into the wines.

Lights are back on and we don’t have to worry about stumbling anymore (at least not due to darkness). Whether the wine is 100% Malbec or a blend, it was very drinkable and I would purchase again. I picked this wine up at Total Wine for $6.99.

Wine info:
Mendoza, Argentina produces 70-75% of Argentina’s wine and 85% of its quality wine.

Copyright ©2009 by Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

2008 – Alamos Malbec

Looking for a great tasting Malbec, well I found one! One of my big wine scores at BJ’s Wholesale was an Alamos Malbec purchased for $7.99. Alamos is produced by the Cantena Family in Mendoza, Argentina. The history of the family and their wine making goes back to 1898 when Nicola Catena came from Italy to Argentina. Nicola believed Mendoza was the promised land and planted his first Malbec vineyard in 1902. After generations of changes, disappointments and perseverance the winery is now lead by Nicolas Cantena, the grandson of the original founder.

This Malbec blend contains 90% Malbec, 5% Cabernet and 5% Bonarda. The aroma is a combination of ripe berries, spice and black pepper. The flavors are fruit forward and well balanced with the perfect amount of tannins to sugar. Notes of blackberries intertwine with spice. The wine is aged for 8 months in French and American oak barrels.

2008 Alamos Malbec scored 87 points and is very drinkable and enjoyable wine at a very good price. I will definitely put this on my list of wines to drink again.


Chickadee word of the day:
Bondarda – the shortened name given to Bondarda Piemontese, a red-wine grape grown in Italy’s Piedmont region.

Copyright ©2009 by Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.