2009 Cupcake Vineyards Malbec Mendoza, Argentina

I’ve attended blind tastings in the past and sometimes I’m truly surprised at the attitudes of some wine experts. The wine they just found quite enjoyable when name and label was unknown, they quickly want to dismiss once the wine is revealed. I’m telling you now, if you do this, you’re missing out on some great wine finds. One such find is my recent sample of 2009 Cupcake Vineyards Malbec.

Nose is filled with blueberries, oak and leather. Flavors of raspberry, plum and chocolate come through in a lush full bodied wine. Well structured tannins and a smooth lingering finish make this wine all the dessert I need after dinner.

Varietal – 100% Malbec
Sugar – 24.5
Acid – 0.65g/100 ml
PH – 3.64

While the Cupcake Winery is located in Montery County, CA, grapes for the Malbec are sourced from Mendoza, Argentina located on the Eastern Foothills of the Andes Mountains. The region is relatively cool and dry with just 8 inches of rainfall per year.

The rocky soil is irrigated through a system of aqueducts running from the Andes down to farmlands. These factors allow the grape to fully ripen into dark berries with intense flavors. After harvesting, the grapes are gently crushed and undergo a long fermentation with skins on and aged in oak creating a full and intense flavor.

Cupcake Vineyard Malbec proves once more, a wine doesn’t need to have a fancy name or carry a price tag equivalent to a car payment to be a really tasty and great wine.

My rating -  We'll drink the rest tomorrow.

2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Follow me on:
Facebook:
 http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=114185461044&ref=ts
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/WineChicksGuide

No need to conquer this Conquista Malbec, just sit back and enjoy the wine

I decided I needed to give Argentina a chance to redeem itself after the Don Mazo fiasco so this time I opened a bottle of 2008 Conquista Malbec.

Dark ruby color, Aromas are a bit on the jammy side with hints bell pepper and smoky oak. Creamy mouthfeel with lots of fruit flavors consisting of raspberry and cherry followed by a touch of earthiness. Nice pop in the end as the well balanced flavors and high tannins create a lingering finish. I tried this wine both with and without aeration and it truly benefited from the aeration.

The wine takes its name from the early Spanish Conquistas that settled Argentina in the 16th century. The new land’s hot, arid climate was ideal to wine cultivation. In the late 18th century the Governor of Cuyo in Mendoza, requested Malbec, a classic French grape that was struggling in the cooler climate of Bordeaux, France. Conquista celebrates Argentina’s Spanish heritage and the Spaniards that started a heritage of Argentinean wine cultivation.

Varietal make up:
88% Malbec6% Bonardo3% Shiraz3% Merlot

For $7.99 at Total Wine, this is definitely drinkable and worth purchasing again.
Remember to keep buying those Chilean wines, with yet another earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2, the wineries and the country need all the support we can give. This way, you get to enjoy the wine and help a great wine region and country get back on their feet.
2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Follow me on:
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=114185461044&ref=ts
Twitter:http://twitter.com/WineChicksGuide

Don Maza Cabernet Sauvignon did nothing but step on my toes during our brief Tango

In continuing with my Chilean wine quest, I figured I would branch out to some neighboring countries. Argentina is known for some world class Malbecs and I took a chance on a 2009 Don Maza Cabernet Sauvignon. Maybe the young vintage should have been a clue but this wine was like dancing with an eggplant…no personality.

When I say no personality I also mean, very little to no aromas or flavors. I’m not sure I’ve ever come across a wine that was lacking actual aromas. I’ve had wines with flavors I didn’t care for but not wines that just didn’t have any flavor. If I were doing a worst of, this wine would be on the list.

Aromas in the glass, well none. Flavors intermingle with nothing. Maybe this is a wine for non-wine drinkers. I do get some grapy flavor but it’s very light.

Well, I was able to find a website, may as well cover a little bit about the winery. Let’s start with the picture on the home page of the website, most winery owners and workers have huge smiles on their faces, like they really enjoy what they do. These two guys look nothing but arrogant and pissed off, almost like they’ll kick your butt if you don’t like their wine. Hmm, good thing Tampa is pretty far from Argentina, may have these two thugs showing up on my door step with some grape vines and a crusher.

Oh, let’s checkout the picture gallery. What’s with the wine case/checker board? Are you supposed to buy these on their website? I am looking at the English version of the website, maybe it’s a language thing I’m missing. Nope, I checked out the Spanish version too. Oh well, we may never know the intent of those pictures but if you want to drink wine and play checkers, well now you know where to go.

Well this was fun, hope I don’t have two angry Argentina wine makers showing up anytime soon. Here’s a fun fact: I have the Malbec by this winery at home too, yea, fun times ahead… Let’s hope that wine has a little more to offer.

2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Follow me on:
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=114185461044&ref=ts
Twitter:http://twitter.com/WineChicksGuide

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.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Follow me on:
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=114185461044&ref=ts
Twitter:http://twitter.com/WineChicksGuide

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.