2010 Juana De Sol Malbec Reserva Single Vineyard

Vibrant bright violet in color, this single estate malbec showed us great beauty in the glass. We smelled chocolate and espresso with a little bit of mushroomy moss! We tasted those same coffee flavors along with juicy ripe blackberries. The tannins are chewy and lead to a long finish. We noticed a decent amount of heat upon opening, but luckily that went away after hours of breathing.

This is a big bold wine with interesting flavor. It isn't very complex in flavor, and the balance isn't all that level. However, for the price tag it is likely to please most. We do feel there are better malbecs out of Argentina at a more affordable price point.


Body: Full
Approx. Cost: $12
Food Pairing: BBQ Pork Ribs (smoked if you can)

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2010 Viñalba Malbec (Mendoza)

The nose is great; very nice and vibrant aromas. We smelled some ripe blackberries and spices. Very aromatic!

We tasted some black pepper, lightly toasted oak, and then some very juicy blueberries on the backend. This is a nice young and juicy malbec. It has very good mouthfeel, with bright acidity (very refreshing). The body was medium to full and the finish was decently long. It isn't too complex, but not simple. We found it was a tad alcohol forward, but in the end, its shortcomings were outweighed by its strengths. Very good malbec at an insane price. Definitely get your hands on it if you can. Top Pick!

Body: Medium to full
Approx. Cost: $7.99
Food Pairing: Grilled or BBQ Chicken

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2008 Ruta 22 Malbec (Patagonia)

Malbec at its darkest! Aromas of dark chocolate, blackberry jam, and beautiful floral notes filled the glass. There was even a hint of gravel. Definitely not an aromatically challenged wine.

This Malbec displays flavors of cocoa, blueberries, and toasted oak. It's not super complex, but it shows noticeably different layers of delicious flavor. Let's call it 2D! It has excellent mouthfeel. Tannins are just right, body is full, and finish is long. One of the better Argentine Malbecs.

Body: Full
Approx. Cost: $11
Food Pairing: BBQ Ribs

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2010 Bodega Elena de Mendoza Blend

This red blend from Mendoza looked vibrant, with its bright violet color. The nose was pretty explosive with strawberries and green pepper. It smelled great! We tasted figs and strawberry jam. It was a little too fruit-forward, though. It didn't have any other flavors to balance it out. The fruits were juicy and tasty, but its one-dimensional profile left us flat.

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2010 Familia Cassone Finca La Florencia Malbec

This Mendoza Malbec displayed a funky nose with some mushrooms, earth and figs.

The mushrooms really came through on the flavor, as well as the earthiness we smelled. Prune is the dominant fruit flavor accompanied by dried herbs.

The mouthfeel was flat and one dimensional. It's medium-bodied with nice tannins, but alcohol forward. The wine doesn't come together, feeling very disjointed. For $12 there are MUCH better options out of Argentina. Pass!

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2009 Finca Flichman Reserva Malbec

This Argentine Malbec has some wonderful aromas! We smelled buttered popcorn and dried figs--awesome! We couldn't help diving in right away. We tasted plums and strawberries mainly with a little toasted oak. The mouth feel is great--full body, subtle tannins, smooth and lengthy finish. This would be a definite crowd pleaser! For about $13, you can't go wrong. This is one of the better malbecs in this price range. Go Mendoza!

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2008 Durigutti Malbec (Mendoza)

We smelled lots of gravel and spices on the nose. Great aromas filled the glass!

Let this one breathe for about an hour; it needs a little opening up. Tannins are strong in this dry red, but seem to subdue with time. Great overall balance of flavors and mouthfeel. We tasted that awesome gravel/mineral characteristic we got on the nose, some figs and cassis with a tiny little raspberry. Its cost is around $15, which doesn't break the bank, especially for a decent wine. This would be a great "dinner party" wine that would be an easy crowd pleaser!

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2008 Vina Antigua Malbec Bonarda

Ah, Mendoza, you've done it again! Its pale violet color didn't excite, but its aromas were great. Bursting with smells of ripe dark berries, dusty basement, and dark chocolate!

This blend of 50% Malbec and 50% Bonarda brings together two wonderful worlds of wine. We found super juicy ripe blackberries from the Bonarda, and a smooth butterscotch and dark chocolate from the Malbec. Excellent qualities from both varietal brought into one wine! Delicious! It is medium to full bodied with nice tannin structure and balance. It lacks some complexity, however for $9, it is a STEAL. Its flavors make up for what it lacks in complexity. I think we should plan a trip to Mendoza!

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2006 Cruz Andina Malbec

This Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina is super dark, almost like ink! We got aromas of dark ripe fruits and mocha. Pretty good nose! We tasted black currants, blackberries, chocolate--all wrapped in a nice level of oak and vanilla. It had a very good mouthfeel with tight firm tannins!

This malbec is rounded and smooth. The finish is long, and paired very well with our big Texas BBQ dinner! It was a crowd favorite for sure! For $20 you're getting a decently complex rich wine with delicious flavors... It's worth it!

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2008 Rutini Trumpeter Malbec

Wonderfully deep dark purple color! Lots of berries and spice aromas fill the glass. Layers and layers of blackberries and cherries are surrounded by earth tones, green pepper, and spice.

This wine has a very smooth mouthfeel that's almost creamy! It could use a touch more acidity to liven up the back end, because the creaminess leaves it almost a little flat. It has a very rich long lasting finish with nice tannins! This is a solid effort for an under $10 malbec, making this a great value. You can't get too much better than this at this price-point. Cheers!

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2007 La Fortuna Malbec

Probably one of the best Malbecs out of Chile that we've tried. It's a medium bodied wine with some pretty decent tannin structure and flavors. We're getting some really forward flavors of leather, mocha, and TONS of plum! This is a very well-balanced wine for $11.

This malbec differs from many malbecs of Chile and Argentina in that it lacks the deep body and earthiness typical of malbecs from that region. Regardless, La Fortuna malbec is a fine effort. It would go AWESOME with roasted duck! The plum flavors would be especially delicious with the meal. Let us know if you try it!

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Blind Tasting: Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina

Just when we thought we've tasted every malbec in Mendoza, another wine pokes its head out from around the corner. Compared to many wines on the market, malbec, especially from Argentina, usually win over the crowd! The wines tend to offer complex flavors of dark berries, earth, and toasted oak ranging anywhere from medium to very full-bodied wines. So, we thought it would be cool to see how they stack up to each other!

It was a challenge to keep the wines from "running together," since many malbecs have similar flavors. However, we learned to pick up on the differences between them! Check out the wines from last night's blind tasting below:

2009 Carelli Latitud 34 Degrees Malbec
2009 Crios de Susana Balbo Malbec
2009 Tierra Brisa Malbec
2007 Las Perdices Malbec

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2009 Tierra Brisa Malbec

This medium-full bodied malbec made a big change with some decanting. Very vibrant color and intriguing aromas out of the glass! We got a little bit of dried herbs, earth, and spices. The heat from the alcohol dissipated a bit after opening, which seemed to allow the tannins to round out after being opened for a few hours. I can see this going well with grilled meats and vegetables. This is an OK value at $12. It drinks more like an under $10, so I wouldn't say it has a great QPR. Not bad in any sense though. Judge for yourself, and let us know!

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2007 Las Perdices Malbec

Deep, dark, almost like ink! Very heavy mouth-feel, almost dessert-like. This wine sports 14% alcohol and doesn't hide it! This formed an imbalance in how we tasted the wine. You know that feeling when you slam back a shot of strong liquor? Not exactly what we're looking for in a wine. We have had wines nearing 15% alcohol and we couldn't tell.

This alcohol is masking would-be layers of delicious blackberries and black licorice that we're tasting. I could imagine this malbec would do better with the right meal pairing, which we might try! For now, grab the malbec to the left or right of this one in the store!

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2009 Crios de Susana Balbo Malbec

Pretty well balanced malbec with nice tannin structure that's easy to drink. It's fairly dry, yet smooth in your mouth and going down.

On the other hand, the Crios malbec is missing something. While good flavors are there, they don't last long. It lacks complexity, even taking into account it's only $12. We'd never pass this wine up if it was available at someone's home or even at a restaurant, but there are better wines coming out of Mendoza, Argentina these days. Compared to other wines outside of Argentina for $12, this is a fine choice!

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2009 Carelli Latitud 34 Malbec

Just when we thought we've tried every malbec in Mendoza, Argentina, we unveil this gem from its brown paper bag in our blind tasting! Deep color, full body, with subtle tannins and mouthfeel. Super smooth flavors of ripe black fruits, mocha, floral notes, and even a little barnyard (the good earthy kind)!

What surprised us further is the low price point on this wine--only $8. This is really a great value, as are many Argentine malbecs. It's definitely a crowd pleaser; it placed 1st in our blind tasting. Give this one a try!

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2009 Colores Del Sol Malbec

A rustic malbec with lots of intriguing aromas that make us want more. I got layers and layers of smells coming out of the glass: blackberries, toasted oak, mushrooms, basement, and a little tobacco. With all these complex aromas, one would expect a HUGE flavor profile, but we can't all be that lucky.

There were hints of oak, earth tones, black cherries, and some floral notes. The body was medium to full, with subtle tannins, and a surprisingly long finish. There are some nice earthy flavors that I get from this wine. On the other hand, there's an imbalance somewhere here, leaving me a little flat.

This may be an excellent candidate for a rustic dish of grilled bone-in thick center cut pork chops with smashed potatoes and grilled mushrooms. We're going to give this a 4/5, only because of its complex flavor/aroma profile. I think it'll interest a lot of people, and could go very well with food. Cheers!

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2008 Maipe Malbec

Very deep in color, with heavy strawberry jam on nose. This malbec has some nice tannins, not too fruity, yet fruit-forward. Juicy strawberries and cranberries are paired with moss-covered tree bark. There's some lingering chocolate that is beneath all these flavors. Despite all these really nice characteristics, it lacks a little balance and also lacks some body that most of us hope for in a malbec. Overall, its a OK value for around $12. There are better values for Malbec these days!

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2008 Doña Paula Estate Malbec

Although it doesn't match my expectations of a malbec, it impressed me. Let it breathe for a couple hours, and it will improve greatly. Black cherries and herbs dominate this wine, along with a hints of oak and delicate tannins. It's medium bodied with an unusually long finish. Good to PAIR WITH pork, grilled chicken, or a night in front of the TV--and for only $12 a bottle, you can afford to do just that!

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2007 Luigi Bosca Malbec Reserva

Now, THIS is Malbec! The deep, dark color in this wine is incredible! There are really nice flavors of leather, dark berries, plums, and dark cherries. Subtle underlying earthy tones and tannins bring this wine to a whole new level. Layer upon layer of balance and complexity have us all going back for more.

This is Malbec at its best, and for $18, you'd be getting every penny's worth. Go out and buy a bottle right now. Let us know what you think!

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