2009 Urban Uco Malbec

100% Estate grown Malbec from the  Uco Valley in the Mendoza Region of Argentina. The wine is aged three months in French oak barrels. Argentina is known for it’s Torrontes white wine and Malbec red wine. Malbec is a French grape mainly grow in the Cahors region of France, but Argentina has become very competitive in terms of quality and price. Alcohol content is 14.5%.

A dark opaque ruby red, in France Malbec is known as “the black wine” and the Urban Uco Malbec lives up to that name. The nose is not fruit based, it’s spicy and rich exotic spices, a flowering Magnolia tree, with the scent of a newly mowed lawn. Medium bodied, dark red fruit, at first, then blueberry followed by a touch of spice. Malbec’s used to be big hairy tannic wines, but the tannins here are soft and slightly sweet. A good, reasonably long berry finish.

A very balanced, well made wine.  Would be very versatile with food,  you could pair it with burgers or pizza, but it’s quality would also enhance upscale menus. I have seen the Urban Uco Malbec on several wine lists, it’s quality to price ratio would make it an excellent pick

2005 Conn Creek Limited Release Cabernet Sauvignon $19

The majority of the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are sourced from Conn Creek’s Collins Vineyard in Napa, with grapes from 8 other Napa sub regions rounding out the mix. 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 4% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. The wine is aged for 26 months in 40% new and 60% 1 year old French oak Barrels. Alcohol content is 14.8%. 30,000 cases produced.

Dark burgundy red in color. The nose is more vegetable than fruit, green pepper dominates, and then flowers along with oak. This is no fruit forward wine, blackberry, figs, prunes with cocoa powder and oak spice. The tannins and the oak are evident but not out of balance. A lengthy tart berry finish.

A dark brooding wine, European in style, not the fruit driven Cabernet’s you usually see in this price range. A well made wine with quality Napa fruit, that is a change of pace from the usual wine available for under $20.

2007 Clayhouse Vineyard Adobe Red

A red wine blend sourced from California’s Central Coast, Clayhouse Vineyards says that much of the fruit came from their Estate Vineyard in Paso Robles. The grapes used in the blend are 41% Zinfandel, 32% Petite Sirah, 16% Syrah, 5% Malbec, 4% Grenache and 2% Mourvedre. 15% of the wine has been aged in neutral oak barrels for 14 months. Alcohol content is 14.1%.

See thru burgundy red with a salmon pink halo. The nose is reminiscent of a fruit stand, plums, cherries , raspberries with a touch of vanilla infused oak. Tart cherry juice hit first, then a softer plums and strawberry. Tannins can be felt all over your mouth, but in a good way, it gives the wine a nice strong character. The Adobe Red smooths out at the mid-palate, tart cherry and the tannins fade away and a fresh juicy berry flavor takes over. The finish is mixed berries and vanilla, you will be tasting it 5 minutes after you put the glass down.

The Clayhouse Adobe Red is a well constructed, big, bold, good tasting wine. A rough and ready Red that also has a well mannered side. BBQ Ribs or Steak Fajitas would pair very well.

2008 Cycle Buff Beauty Malbec/Shiraz $14

80% Malbec and 20% Shiraz, sourced from the Claire Valley in South Australia. 14 months in French oak Barrels (mostly 2nd and 3rd fill). The label is 1960’s biker movie meets a Russ Meyer flick – not your everyday wine label, but then again this is an Australian wine and weird is normal.

The Cycle Buff Beauty has aging potential, the winemaker suggests drinking it within the next 8 years. In checking for information on this wine, I found that the % of the blend changes, some bottles are 85% Malbec and others are 80%, so this will probably taste different depending on the blend.

The color is Thanksgiving cranberry sauce red. The nose is dark red fruit, raspberries, black cherry, along with blackberry and plums, but not fresh fruit, more like cooked fruit stew. Velvety mouth feel. Big fruit upfront, blueberry, some cherry and strawberry and  french vanilla, then the oak and tannins kick in, along with a healthy dose of spice. The finish is spicy vanilla creme.

Young, big and fruity, but it has structure. Drinks nicely now, but give it a couple of years and it should really hit its peak.

2008 El Ganador Malbec $9

A Malbec from the Mendoza region of Argentina, Estate grown and bottled. 10% of the grapes are aged in French oak barrels, then mixed with the other 90% of the grapes that were aged in stainless steel vats. The wine gets a bit of that oak spice and vanilla, a bit of structure, but no real aging capabilities.

If your looking for a single varietal red wine in the $10 range, Syrah/Shiraz, Zinfandel and Malbec are your most reliable choices. Good Cabs and Pinots are out there, but few and far between.

Deep opaque ruby red in color. The nose is plums, black cherry, pepper and vanilla.  Smooth blackberries and blueberries surrounded by a halo of spice (almost curry like). The finish is non carbonated Dr. Pepper. The El Ganador has nice structure and soft tannins.

The El Ganador Malbec has the structure and the flavor to pair with steaks or chops.

2008 Astica Malbec – $8

Right now the hottest grape on the planet is Malbec. Every day someone emails us “Where can we find Malbec?”. The problem is – it’s very hard to find an inexpensive Malbec that stands out. Well – we found one for you, and it’s from Argentina.

Jammy and fruity up front. Deep dark red. It’s full-bodied yet velvety with a slight spicy finish.

2008 Mi Terruno Uvas Malbec

Mi Terruno means “My Terrior” or “My Land” in English. An Estate grown and bottled wine sourced from the Lujan district of Mendoza, Argentina. The grapes were hand picked and the wine sees no oak, the wine is aged for 5 months in stainless steel tanks. Alcohol content is 13%.

The color is see thru cranberry red. The nose is slightly musty dark fruit . The flavor is raspberries upfront, then black licorice, the tannins are well balanced. Not a fruit forward wine, the word “balanced” is the key here. The finish shows a touch of acidity and lasts a very long time.

An elegant wine, no oak so it’s not a wine for aging, but a wine that suggests that it sells for far more than it actually does.

2007 Chateau Armandiere Cahors Malbec

I’ve been reading that Argentinian Malbec’s are going to be all the rage this summer. All the big name wine companies have partnered with Argentinian Malbec Wineries to bring Malbec to the masses. So, before the Argentinian onslaught, I decided to check out the Malbec Mothership, the Cahors Region of France. In France, where the grapes are grown and which Wine House made the wine is more important than what grape varietal is in the bottle, so the label lists the region,in this case Cahors, and the Chateau, again, Armandiere. That system works if your French, but the casual wine drinker is completely lost when trying to negotiate the French aisle of your local wine shop. Therefore, Argentinian Malbec is poised to be the next big thing and Cahors, the home of Malbec, is trying to play catch-up.

The Chateau Armandiere Malbec is Cahors’ response to the competition, 90% Malbec and 10% Merlot, no oak, estate grown and bottled. Traditional Cahors Malbec’s are big, bold, rugged, tannic wines, the kind of wines that will put hair on your chest. But, this is made to be fruit forward and engaging, the kind of wine that Shiraz/Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon drinkers will immediately understand.

In Cahors, Malbec is nicknamed “ the black wine”, so the Armandiere has a deep opaque black cherry with a strawberry halo. The nose is smoky and savory, floral and a burst of blueberries. The flavor is lush dark fruit, plums, blackberries, there are firm tannins evident, but well integrated, no jarring jolt.  The finish is cherry cola and lasts a very,very long time.

If you are in the France section of your local Wine Shop and you see Cahors on the label and the price of the bottle is right, take a chance on these wines, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

2007 The Show Cabernet Sauvignon $13

A California Cab by the Three Thieves and Rebel Wine. They don’t own vineyards, they source the grapes from wherever they can get the most bang for the buck. In this case, the Central Coast, Mendocino, Lodi, Napa Valley, Lake County and Sonoma. The 2005 Vintage got huge buzz as the best low price Cab around. Since they are at the mercy of the market to get the best grapes at the right price, this wine can fluctuate in taste from year to year.  85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petite Sirah, with the other 4% split between Merlot and Cab Franc. Aged in French and American Oak.

Well, they got the color right, deep dark cherry red with strawberry highlights. Not a lot going on with the nose, some red fruit, some vanilla and not a whole lot more. Nice mouth feel, almost oily, it really brings the flavor to all points in your mouth. The taste is intense cherry softened by vanilla, not super complex, but good tasting. Good cherry cola finish.  The tannins are very light, I don’t think you want to age The Show, definitely a drink it now wine.

A lighter style Cab, this won’t turn the heads of the Silver Oak crowd, but a good alternative to Shiraz or Malbec. A tasty sipper, drink this while playing Xbox360, it will make any game a little more interesting.

2006 Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon – $16

I am a fan of the wines made by Charles Smith Wines.  He is doing some really cool things with wine at a affordable price. This Cab is sourced from a vineyard in Columbia Valley, Washington. 85% Cabernet, 10% Malbec and 5% Cab Franc, kind of low alcohol for a Cab, only 13.5 %.

Now this is a cool climate Cabernet Sauvignon, if you are going to measure this against a Napa or Sonoma Cab you are going to be taken aback. Not oaky and with smooth tannins, tastes of black and blueberries and chocolate covered cherries. Tastes smooth, not thick, has a nice finish that is nuanced. Charles Smith says that this is not a Bordeaux wine this is a Washington wine, which I take to mean he is turning the terroir thing around on the French.

This is a Cab that would appeal to Barossa Valley Shiraz lovers. Very fruit forward, but still has some complexity. Untwist the screw-top and your ready to go.

Next Page »