Good day everyone. From time to time, I’m happy to feature reviews that have come from other wine reviewers. This post is from Christine Labate, a wine enthusiast from Stamford, Connecticut.
Cheers,
Haydn
—————————–
Large wine tradeshows, like the Boston Wine Expo (BWE) or Washington Wine Expo (WWE), can be daunting, and sometimes, flat out overwhelming. I prefer the New York Wine Expo (NYWE) because it’s smaller and more intimate. Still, for me it’s important to have a kind of strategy. I navigated this show by tasting whites in the morning and reds in the afternoon, selecting different countries and immersing myself in them: after all, why dip a toe when you can jump right in?
Typically at these events, you’re either given a glass when you walk in or are pointed towards a table to select one. I grabbed two – one for whites, one for reds – and a plastic cup for spitting (while tables provide a bucket, I usually end up splashing wine on me… yuck). If you take your wine tasting seriously, do yourself a favor and wear darker clothes. Even if you’re careful, someone invariably spills, so err on the side of caution. Besides, you don’t want to miss out on all the amazing wines only to end up with the inevitable lot who slur their words by day’s end.
This year, Portugal and France were fairly represented but Argentina dominated. Which was perfect for me: my knowledge of Argentinean wines was limited so this was an opportunity. My journey began with Malbec.
Mendoza, located in the northern Argentina in a region of foothills and high plains on the eastern side of the Andes, is known for its Malbecs. Originally grown in Cohors in the South of France, the Malbec grape is one of six sanctioned red Bordeaux blending grapes. It produced a robust, tannic wine that’s inky purple in color. In 1868, French agricultural engineer Michel Pouget introduced Malbec to Mendoza, where the hot days, cool nights, high altitude and limited rainfall help create Malbecs that are softer and less tannic than the French.
My first stop was Luigi Bosca. Their well structured, fruit forward, red and black cherry “Finca La Linda” Lujan de Cuyo Mendoza Malbec was my favorite from last year’s show. But they weren’t pouring it this year – instead, I discovered a new show favorite, their DOC Malbec Reserva. This refined Malbec sees oak for 14 months, tastes of ripe red berries, coffee and spice, and finishes with a gentle yet defined tannin structure.
This inspired me to do a vertical tasting of Luigi Bosca’s 3 Malbecs: La Linda 2007 ($9.99), Reserva 2006 ($16.99) and DOC (Lujan de Cuyo) 2006 ($19.99) to determine my favorite. These balanced, approachable, well-structured wines are grown in the “Finca La Linda” Lujan de Cuyo vineyard, located 15 km south of Mendoza, on the eastern slope of the mountain range. All display a beautiful inky red purple in the glass, have attractive cherry/berry and earth aromas, display a well-structured palate with a subtle tannins and finish with an acceptable length. Neither needs food, however each is the perfect accompaniment to a summer barbeque.
La Linda is redder in the glass than the Reserva and DOC, with more fruit on the nose and the palate, subtler tannins and a shorter, but acceptable, finish. This wine can be aged up to 5 years, but since the tannins don’t need to soften and the fruit may not be as bright, I’d drink it now.
The Reserva is my least favorite of the three because it is more acidic but I’d happily drink it again. The earth and spice are more pronounced on the nose and palate than the La Linda. It tastes of sour cherries, macerated berries, coffee and earth with a hint of orange. The tannins are stronger yet still subtle, and the finish is longer.
The DOC Luján de Cuyo was the first Malbec to receive the DOC stamp, and is the only DOC exported from Argentina to date. The nose is a delicate blend of ripe cherries, plums, spice, and rose petals. The texture is velvety smooth with tastes that mirror the aroma, except hints of coffee/toffee are present. This elegant wine finishes with lingering tannins. DOC will continue to improve with age and could be used to define Malbec in the dictionary: attractive, harmonious, and memorable.
Each Luigi Bosca Malbec represents a solid value, will pair perfectly with roast or grilled meat, venison or hard cheese, and is a great choice for a summer barbeque. Put these on your shopping list! Learn more at www.luigibosca.com.ar or http://testawines.com.