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- Malbec Recommendations ...
I'm hoping the Snooth community can help me out with some recommendations. I've have had a couple Argentinian Malbec and Malbec blend wines in the last couple of months that I really enjoyed and I was hoping that I could get some recommendations to expand what I've tried. I'm looking up to $50 but realistically more in the $15 to $30 range. Let me know what you like and why. Thanks!
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1738 - Reply by Gregory Dal Piaz, Sep 22.
Achaval Ferrer
Weinert
Alma de los andes
Poesia Clos de los Andes
Mapema
Durigutti
That's my short list.
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30 - Reply by basilwino, Sep 23.
Least expensive $11 Trumpeteer
$12 Altos Las Hormigas Hormigas Malbec
$13 Dona Paula Los Cardos Malbec
$17 Luigi Bosca Reserva Malbec
Ben Marco
$20 Dona Paula Estate
Catena
Amancaya (Cab blend)
Luigi Bosca also makes a higher end Reserva $26 and a Cab blended one $28.
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30
- Reply by basilwino, Sep 23.
I forgot a few in my haste.
Bodegas Terrazas Los Andes Reserva 3 1/2 glass
Layer Cake also makes one at $11
!http://www.snooth.com/image/terrazas-reserva-malbec-2005
!http://www.snooth.com/wine/susana-balbo-malbec-2006-1
!http://www.snooth.com/wine/patriota-bonarda-malbec-tikal-mendoza-argentina-2005/
http://www.snooth.com/wine/altos-las-hormigas-malbec-reserva-vina-hormigas-2006-1/
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82 - Reply by Degrandcru, Sep 23.
John, I would highly recommend:
- Luigi Bosca Malbec Reserva
- Norton Malbec Reserva (Norton also has a high end reserva, which is excellent)
- Alma Negra
I am a big Malbec drinker as they are a great value. I don´t care too much about the Malbec blends.
If you want to try something different from Argentina, try a Bonarda, another grape that is doing excellent in Argentina.
Saludos!
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3027 - Reply by Philip, Sep 23.
I'd add Carmenere to Degrandcru's Bonarda recommendation - very similar to Merlot, can do very well (aka fruity) in Argentina.
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3027
- Reply by Philip, Sep 23.
John - did you read Greg's article on Argentine Malbec from 2 months ago?
http://www.snooth.com/articles/wine-varieties/argentine-malbec/
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0390 - Reply by GregT, Sep 24.
All good wines listed. (Well, almost all.)
Incidentally, Alma de los Andes will no longer be making malbec straight. It will only produce blended wines - Tannat/Malbec, Cab Franc/Cab, etc. But the wines will be available as Sur de los Andes.
Phillip - who is making straight carmenere in Argentina?
Bonarda was the most widely planted red grape in Argentina until quite recently when the US acquired a taste for malbec. There are still many acres of it. The history of it is a little confused. There is in fact Bonarda from Piedmont, and in fact there are three kinds of bonarda there. But the Italians also brought some grapes with them to Argentina, including Barbera, Dolcetto, and Bonarda. And more interestingly, Italians left California for Argentina in the 1800s and brought grapes that had been planted in CA and which were originally from Italy.
So the question is - what is Bonarda? Is it Charbono, which may in fact be misidentified Dolcetto in many cases? Is it Barbera? Or is it Bonarda Piedmontese, or another Bonarda? Just like Petite Sirah in California, which is usually Durif but was also a clone of syrah or something else, or like Carmenere in Chile, which was frequently mis-identified as merlot until quite recently, Bonarda may be several different grapes. When the DNA analysis is done, if ever, we will know better. But for now, just remember that for the most part, "Bonarda" as grown in Argentina tends to be juicy, ripe, soft in tannins, wiith bright acidity. It's actually quite good and very food friendly.
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82
- Reply by Degrandcru, Sep 24.
Philip, I´ve never seen an Argentinian Carmenere, always thought thats a Chilenean specialty. Are you sure you don´t mean Chilenean Carmenere?
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3027
- Reply by Philip, Sep 24.
OK, bit of a brain fart there. I meant Chilean. I know Honda was asking for Argentine in the thread, but thought he meant any malbec suggestions.
I could find just 1 argentine carmenere: http://www.snooth.com/wine/santa-alicia-carmenere-2007/
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82
- Reply by Degrandcru, Sep 24.
Greg, thanks for the information regarding the Bonarda. Didn´t know that. Bonarda is not exported much, most Argentine wines you find outside of Argentina are Malbec or Cabernet (at least here in Mexico). But as you already stated, it is quite good and worth looking for.
