Argentine Malbec Wine

The Amalaya winery, in Salta, Argentina, is owned by the Hess Family.  The California producer also has branched out from Napa Valley into South Africa.  Amalaya - which means "hope for a miracle" - sits a mile high in Cafayate, in northwest Argentina's Calchaqui Valley.  The family contends that the high elevation of their vineyards gives the grapes a "ripe, concentrated fruit expression with brighter acidity and extraordinary balance."

The Amalaya Malbec 2016 is a blend of grape varieties - 85% Malbec, 10% Tannat and 5% Petit Verdot.  It is aged for eight months in French oak, but only a quarter of the wine sees wood.  The wine's alcohol mark is just under 14% abv and it retails for $16.

As you might guess, the Tannat and Petit Verdot contribute to an extremely dark Malbec wine with a powerful nose of black fruit, black tar and black pepper.  A smoky quality shows up if you let sit for a bit.  The palate shows much more smoothly than I expected.  The tannins are firm, yet juicy.  Very dark flavors dominate, with the oak showing well and a savory finish to remind you how good it was.


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Blue Blood, White Wine: The Count’s Torrontes

Count Patrick d'Aulan comes from wine. And money. And blue blood. He is the aristocratic owner Alta Vista Winery, but he is no newcomer. His family held the keys to the Piper-Heidsieck Champagne house for nearly a hundred years. In the late 1990s, the domaine was sold. As luck would have it - maybe it wasn’t luck at all - the Count had met Bordeaux winemaker Jean-Michel Arcaute. They began scouting for new wine lands to conquer, and after a little sniffing around, they arrived in Argentina. Salta, to be precise.

Salta is in the northern part of Argentina, a stone’s throw from Chile and Bolivia and not much farther to Uruguay. The vines from which the Torrontes grapes were taken are at an altitude of 5,400 feet, so it’s pretty special terroir. in fact, all the vineyards owned by Alta Vista reside at an altitude of at least 3,200 feet.

The 2013 Alta Vista Salta Torrontes received no malolactic fermentation, to enhance the wine’s fresh and vibrant character. Aging took place in steel for three months, then in the bottle for a similar span. In the tanks, the wine rested on its lees, or spent yeast cells, hence the full mouthfeel.

This Torrontes has a light golden tint and a nose that is simple, but effective. The aromas of white flowers and pear juice are concentrated and captivating. The palate shows a bit more variety, with a more mineral-driven set of flavors - limes, oranges and pineapple - in addition to the luscious pears and peaches in this fruit salad of a wine. The acidity is passable, but not really spectacular - great for sips and salads. Make it a fruit salad.

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World Malbec Day Luncheon At Lucques

April 17th is World Malbec Day and, for a change, I’m ready for it.  Yesterday I was in good company at the tony Los Angeles eatery Lucques, on Melrose, for a luncheon event put on by Wines of Argentina.  Our host, Master Sommelier Tim Gaiser, briefly shared the floor with Nora Favelukes, of Wines of Argentina, and The Honorable Cristina Vallina, the Consul General of Argentina in Los Angeles.  I told you the place was classy.  Gaiser tasted the crowd through fourteen great and varied Malbecs from Argentina in fine style.

World Malbec Day doesn’t really celebrate Malbec worldwide - it commemorates the introduction of the French grape into Argentina.  In 1853, April 17th was the day the governor of Mendoza reshaped his country’s wine future by asking Frenchman Michel Pouget to bring some new vines over to try out in Argentina.  Malbec was one of those vines, and the rest is history.  Now known more as an Argentine variety than a French one, Malbec is Argentina’s grape of choice.

This event was the only one to mark the day on the West Coast, but Favelukes commented that their tour included seven events in five states.

Gaiser, perhaps overcome by his allegiance to the San Francisco Giants, compared Malbec to baseball.  He said, “Whatever you do to it, you can’t change its soul.”  That, he said, is probably why the grape was used as a blending variety in the Rhône Valley at one time.  He swears that Malbec is as good as any Bordeaux grape at expressing its terroir.

The big region for Malbec in Argentina is Mendoza, and Gaiser credits the dry, hot conditions there for the grape’s success.  “The rain shade provided by the Andes mountains makes Mendoza incredibly dry, and the summer days are hot with a big thermal amplitude, or diurnal shift - the difference between hot afternoons and cool overnights.”

Gaiser’s comments were quite informative, but he wisely let the wines do most of the talking.  Chef Suzanne Goin presented a truly wonderful lunch for pairing with the Malbecs that were poured.

Upon entering Lucques, I was handed a rosé, Finca Las Nubes Rosé of Malbec, of course.  After lunch, it stood as one of my favorites.  This wine is from the Salta region, in the northern part of Argentina, and is made by one of the most respected winemakers in the country, José Luis Mounier.  He’s known as “Mr. Torrontes” in his homeland, but he certainly knows his way around Malbec.  The rosé has a very deep red tint and includes a 10% splash of Cabernet Sauvignon.  The fruity nose is almost perfumed, while the bright acidity reflects the lack of oak.  Strawberry, cherry and cola notes drape a graceful minerality.

FLIGHT ONE: served with rare lamb loin and baby carrots

All four of these wines come at a lower price point.

Finca Flichman ‘Reserva’ Malbec - Blackberry, cherry, cranberry and black pepper aromas converge on a floral aspect on the nose.  After a bit, caramel comes into play.  The palate features tart fruit and minerals.  The wine has great acidity.

Bodega Lagarde Malbec - From the Lujan de Cuyo region of Mendoza, this wine is 100% Malbec.  A lower elevation site, the fruit is ripe, the minerals are assertive and the tannins are smooth.

Alamos ‘’Seleccion” Malbec - This is a wine many American diners are familiar with - it turns up on lots of wine lists, especially those dominated by lower price points.  The floral nose with a smokey edge is beautiful.  Ripe fruit and great structure make it winner with the lamb.

Bodega Ricardo Santos Malbec - From the lower-elevation Maipu region, this wine sees  French oak for six months.  The acidity is the calling card here, it’s great.  Flavors of red plums and cherries battle to a finish where a hint of raspberry comes forward.

FLIGHT TWO: served with Chicken Paillard and mushrooms on a bread pudding

These four wines move up a bit in price, in the 20 to 40 dollar range.

Finca El Origen ‘Gran Reserva’  Malbec - The hot, dry Uco Valley is home for this wine.  It shows a beautiful nose of mocha and black cherry, with big tannins.

Gascon ‘Reserva’ Malbec - Imported by Gallo, this Malbec has 3% Petit Verdot mixed into it.  60% of the wine is aged in French and American oak, while 40% is aged in stainless steel. It gets 15-18 months of ageing before bottling.  A bit of funk shows on the nose, and it wears its minerals on its sleeve.  Smooth tannins and a huge savory side put me in mind of France.

Navarro Correas ‘Alegoría’ Malbec - One of the stars of the event, this wine is quite complex, with a savory, cranberry-laced nose and a palate that shows more of the same.  Great tannins, a nice touch of oak and brilliant acidity make this the food-friendliest of all the food-friendly Malbecs offered here.  At $18, it’s a steal.

Bodega Domingo Hermanos ‘Domingo Molina M2 - Another 100% Malbec wine, this Salta product has 40% of its contents aged in French oak.  The suggested retail price of $35 seems a little high after the Navarro Correas.  Mocha and spice on the nose and a sleek, supple, mineral-driven palate certainly do deliver, however.

FLIGHT THREE: served with braised beef short ribs with turnip greens

The final wines allowed our hosts to break out the big guns.  These are higher-end wines in which the complexity is turned up a notch.

Nieto Senetiner ‘Nieto Terroir Blend’  Malbec - From the Lujan de Cuyo region of Mendoza, this 100% Malbec has a savory bouquet of mocha and dark fruit which is introduced by a big floral show.  In the mouth, it’s very dry with great acidity and minerality.

Salentein ‘Numina’ - A big floral nose with a hint of chocolate is an instant winner.  The nice level of acidity and the streak of minerality come as a bonus.

Luca ‘Beso De Dante’ - A $41 blend of 60% Malbec and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is aged in French oak for 14 months.  Quite ripe in the nose with great structure and fruit, this was a favorite of mine.  It paired beautifully with the beef.

Familia Zuccardi ‘Zuccardi Zeta’ - Minerals are the rule here, so much so that some at my table were a bit put off by them.  Very dry.

Renacer ‘Renacer’ 2008 - Another favorite here, this 100% Malbec was cited by Gaiser as one of the finest varietal representatives of the grape he has tasted.  Aged 24 months in new French oak, the wine carries a staggering 15% alcohol number.  The nose has it all - mocha, caramel, smoke, fruit, flowers and a box of chocolates.  The fruit on the palate ranges seamlessly from blackberry to raspberry to a cranberry/mocha finish.  The acidity is refreshing and the tannins are just about perfect.  It didn’t beat out the Luca for pairing with the beef, but it was a delectable sip and complemented the dessert cookies perfectly.



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Tasting Argentine Wine

Tasting Argentina - Game of Grapes - was another great presentation from Learn About Wine.  Ian Blackburn’s group puts on the premier wine events in Southern California, and this one, on October 25, 2012, brought wines from South America to the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills.

There are a number of aspects about the wine industry in Argentina which I find fascinating.  The speed at which the country turned the quality of their wine around 180 degrees was phenomenal.  Their branding of Malbec and Torrontes as "national grapes" has expanded to a global stage.  The limited use of oak in many of their wines would be cutting-edge if it weren't often due simply to the high cost of barrels.

There's a lot about Argentine wine to capture any wine lover's fancy.  Here are a few questions I found myself wondering about after Tasting Argentina.  Prices listed are suggested retail.

What's Up With Argentine Chardonnay?

Chardonnay produced in Argentina can taste wildly different from Californian or French styles, sometimes taking on a characteristic that leaves me wondering if it was, in fact, Chardonnay at all.

Urraca Chardonnay 2009 Mendoza - Organic and aged only 6 months in oak.  It’s unusual for an Argentine white to have any oak at all.  Dark and earthy, this wine has smoke to burn.  I tasted the 2008 vintage a couple of years ago, and it carried a nose like Champagne.  The '09 is so dark and smokey it might fool a lot of tasters into thinking it's something other than Chardonnay.  Extremely intriguing.

Secreto Patagónico Chardonnay 2011 Patagonia - The smokey, mineral-driven palate surprises, since the wine is unoaked.

Telteca Robles Chardonnay 2011 Maipú Mendoza - Beautiful fruit and just a hint of oak. $13

Telteca Anta Chardonnay/Viognier 2011 Maipú Mendoza - A half and half blend of the two grapes, and half of the Chardonay is barrel aged for six months.  Aromatic nose, great oak effect. $18

Why Doesn't Argentina Just Do Away With Oak Altogether?

Many Argentine red wines are treated with minimal - sometimes a complete lack of - oak.  I have been told many small family wineries can't afford barrels for all their varieties, so they save the wood for aging their Malbec.  But even larger production facilities in Argentina will go a little easier on the oak that we might expect in California.  I love this tendency, as the fruit can taste so much brighter and fresher with minimal or no oak effect.  That isn't always the case, though, with unoaked reds in Argentina.

Costaflores MTB Malbec/Petit Verdot Mendoza - Organic, unoaked, single vineyard, earthy minerals, dark fruit. $22  (Check out winemaker Mike Barrow’s underwater wine tasting.)


Pascual Toso Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Barrancas, Maipú District, Mendoza - Only 8 months in oak, earthy notes rule.  $13

Michel Torino Don David Finca La Maravilla #6 Malbec 2010 Salta - A single plot in a single vineyard.  Unoaked, but dark and mineral-driven.  $20

Secreto Patagónico Pinot Noir 2011 Patagonia - Unoaked, showing earthy minerals and a raspberry candy note.

Secreto Patagónico Malbec 2011 Patagonia - No oak and bright red fruit.  Earthy, fresh and lively.

Secreto Patagónico Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Patagonia - Unoaked, with big bright fruit.  Secreto is seeking an importer, by the way.

Argentine Malbec

When Argentine wines are poured, Malbec is the star of the show.  The Bordeaux castoff has found a comfy home in Argentina, like many other human wine transplants from Europe.  Malbec is the pride of the Argentine wine world, and its leading exported variety.

Achavel Ferrer Malbec Mendoza 2011  Luján de Cuyo, Uco Valley - Lean and earthy, aged in oak nine months.  $25

Uma Coleccion Malbec 2011 Maipú Mendoza - Very smooth, with beautiful fruit and minerals.  Only three months in oak.  $10

Telteca Roble Malbec 2009 Maipú Mendoza - Minerals galore, only six months in oak.  $13

Pascual Toso Malbec Estate 2011 Mendoza - Dark fruit and a very earthy undercurrent.  $13

Dante Robino Gran Dante Malbec 2009 Mendoza - Smokey, earthy, spicy, great grip.  $39

Muñoz De Toro Valle Perdido Patagonia Malbec 2010 Neuquén Patagonia - Extremely dark, huge smoke and earth.  Nine months oak.  $12

Solsticio Malbec Rosé 2011 Uco Valley - The winemaker was throwing away the juice from the bleed off of Malbec production when somebody said, "Hold on a minute! Lets do a rosé!"  Great acidity.

Why isn't Bonarda The National Grape of Argentina?

Not to knock Malbec, but Argentina has another red wine grape that, for my money, is more flavorful and more interesting.  Bonarda is spicy, complex and loaded with character.  The examples on display at this event offered candy-coated complexity and fresh, fruity palates.

Algodon Bonarda 2010 San Rafael, Mendoza - Gorgeous red fruit with minerals, smoke and spice.  Organic.  $21

Dante Robino Bonarda 2010 Mendoza - Spicy raspberry, fresh and bright.  $13

Muñoz De Toro Terra Sacra Reserve Bonarda 2009 La Rioja, Andes Argentina - Beautiful spice and candy notes.  14 months oak.

Ricardo Santos Tercos Bonarda 2009 Mendoza - Beautiful, lean, red fruit.  $13

Don't Forget Torrontés

I was told that Torrontés from the northern part of Argentina had the best aromatics, but that was from someone who was pouring Torrontés from the northern part of Argentina.  I noticed plenty of aromatics in wines from the south as well.

Pascual Toso Torrontés 2010 Barrancas, Maipú District - Beautiful honeysuckle nose, fruity palate and an abundance of minerals.  $13

Uma Coleccion Torrontés 2011 Maipú Mendoza - Huge floral and fruit on the nose and palate.  $10

Familia Schroeder Deseado 2012 Patagonia - Torrontés, sweet with great acidity.  Pair with blue cheese.  $15

Michel Torino Don David Torrontés 2012 Salta - All about the minerals.  High elevation vineyards, three months oak.  $17

Muñoz De Toro 100 x 100 Argentina Vineyard Selection Torrontés 2012 La Rioja - Floral with a green element.  Nice citrus.  Strong finish

Recuerdo Torrontés 2011 Valle de Famatina, La Rioja - High elevation, sandy clay soil.  Sweet floral nose, mineral driven palate.  Only their second vintage.

Ricardo Santos Tercos Torrontés 2011 Salta - Honeysuckle and grapefruit bouquet, with flavors of flowers, nuts and citrus.  $13

Solsticio Torrontés 2011 La Rioja - Honeysuckle nose, mineral-driven, citrus palate.

Other notables

There are many other types of wine in Argentina, of course.  Italian varieties get some vineyard space, and the Patagonia region in southernmost part of the country is coming out with some intense Pinot Noir, although the region's overall quality is still rather varied.

Saurus Barrel Fermented Pinot Noir 2009 Patagonia - Candy and earth.  $25

Familia Schroeder Pinot Noir / Malbec 2007 Patagonia - Earthy, yet bright.  $60

Graffigna Centenario Reserve Pinot Grigio 2011 San Juan - Minerals and peaches.  $13

Michel Torino Cuma Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Salta - Really smokey, campfire aromas.  Six months in oak.

Muñoz De Toro Pampas Estate Barbera/Merlot 2011 Pampas Buenos Aires - Smokey and supple, with a cherry explosion.  50%Barbera, 50% Merlot.  Hard to believe only 3 months in oak.

Ricardo Santos Dry Semillon 2011 Mendoza - Honey and grapefruit.  $16


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