Altos las Hormigas Malbec Clásico 2010

Full, deep red. Rather reticent but pure nose offers currant, black cherry, smoked meat, spices and earth. Sweet, lush and pliant; a round and rather gentle wine with good depth. Finishes with dusty, mouthcoating tannins and good length. A terrific value.

Bright and juicy, with blackberry and raspberry fruit supported by mocha and mineral notes. Nice bouncy finish. Textbook intro to Argentinean Malbec. Drink now.

The 2006 Malbec is a prime contender for the top value in Malbec. Purple-colored, it has an excellent nose of violets, spice box, blueberry, and black cherry. Medium to full-bodied, it offers a creamy texture, layers of flavor, excellent balance, and a long, fruit-driven finish. Although this outstanding Malbec may well evolve for 1-2 years, there is no reason to defer gratification. It is a fantastic value.

Bright, deep ruby-red. Dark raspberry, mocha and dark chocolate on the nose, plus a heavy layer of oaky vanilla, spice and coconut. Sweet, lush and fine-grained but fresh and not at all confectionery. In fact, this boasts enticing fresh fruit and good texture, density and lift. Finishes firm and persistent.

Nice, vivid boysenberry and plum fruit, with dark chocolate and taost notes enveloping the finish. Ripe and solid. A great value introduction to Argentinean Malbec. Drink now.

A stellar bargain from South America! Malbec has flourished in Argentina, and Altos Las Hormigas remains a deliciously affordable version. Try it with grilled meat or a spicy sauce.

On the nose, smooth berry aromas turn chocolaty courtesy of the high-toast barrels used. In the mouth, the plump fruit seems up to the oak. There's raspberry and raisin, and some blueberry, too. For the curious, Altos de Medrano is the winery and Hormigas, in Spanish, are ants. Fortunately, I've seem no such critters at the winery.