Malbec...It's The New Red!

Malbec has always been a favorite of mine to pair with a grilled steak, pork chop or tenderloin.  In general, it's priced very affordable and a great alternative red wine.  Originally from France and approved as one of 5 grape varietals allowed in Bordeaux, Argentina is now one of the largest producers of Malbec.  In California, it's still used widely as a blending grape with Meritage being one of the most popular blends.  I've posted a few Malbec wines on this blog yet never thought about how great the wine is especially for it's price point.  Here is a new one I just tried.

Elsa Bianchi Malbec  '11   $9 (World Market)
Mendoza, Argentina

With delicate aromas of dark cherries, ripe plums and blackberries, this wine revealed a dark fruit characteristic.  Deep purple in color, the flavors of black cherry and hints of spice made for a nice medium body taste.

It may come across as a young wine on the first taste but after letting it open up in the glass for 15 minutes, the tastes began to soften much like a more mature wine.  Hints of vanilla and subtle earthiness found on the finish really made this a great everyday red.  It's value is amazing and apparently Robert Parker gave it 90 points!

Cameron Hughes Lot 279, Cabernet Sauvignon '09 $20

Napa Valley, CA

While on the hunt for a relatively inexpensive yet good Cab, I was introduced to this at my local Whole Foods store.  I had just picked up a few NY Strips to grill and remembered that my everyday drinking collection was kind of slim on choices.

I hadn't heard of this wine and neither had Tommy who was working the bar that day.  (We're lucky to have one of the few wine & beer bars inside a Whole Foods store.)  So Tommy said we should try the wine as he was thinking about adding it to the bar for tastings and by-the-glass purchases.  He proceeded to open the bottle before I could say a word. The next thing out of my mouth, after the first taste left me a bit speechless...as it did him.  Wow, holly crap, this is amazing...probably a few things I remember uttering quietly as others watched on.

So now on to the bottle I opened for dinner.  The aromas at first had a hint of alcohol but diminished quickly.  Predominant smells of black currants, dark cherries, licorice and vanilla pretty much sum up this robust California Cab.  On the tongue, dark berries and soft tannins had this tasting like it was a $60 wine.  The finish is clean with hints of dark chocolate and toasted wood.

I'd recommend you let this decant or open up in your glass for 15-30 minutes.  It will definitely soften the higher alcohol found at opening.  This 2009 is ready to drink now and should keep for a few years to come.  If you can't find Lot 279, check their website for newer releases.  www.chwine.com

Adelsheim, Pinot Gris '09 $13

Willamette Valley, OR

In my latest efforts to introduce some more warm weather wines, this one came to mind as I was in need of a Chardonnay for a family recipe and didn't have any on hand. It's definitely a great alternative and for some people, not as sweet.

Filled with aromas of pears, apples and subtle oak it wasn't what I'd expect from this varietal. Actually it was a pleasant surprise.

With the first taste, citrus flavors were predominant with hints of carmel apples and a creamy mouthfeel on the finish.  A pleasant balance of acidity and fruit to warrant a refreshing burst of flavors along with an outstanding wine to pair with lighter foods.

My mom's recipe for Linguini & Clams had me always using a Chardonnay and being without it forced me into trying this wine as a substitute. It not only worked great in the dish but pleasantly went well before and during dinner.  

Pedroncelli, Sauvignon Blanc, East Side Vineyards, '10

Sonoma (Geyserville, CA)

I know it's been awhile since I've posted here and I apologize to those of you following me.  That pesky day job just got really busy, but I'm back!

As we're getting into warmer weather I thought it'd be appropriate to offer up a refreshing wine served chilled to go with your next fruit & cheese plater, salad or grilled fish dish.  Sauvignon Blanc is one of those wines which are nice to start out your evening happy hour or even pre-dinner beverages.

This was a wine I found while visiting the great folks at Pedroncelli last fall.  The aromas filled the glass with apples, pear, citrus and a hint of flint.  The flavors, as many Sav. Blanc wines have were of ripe grapefruit along with melon and pear nectar.  It drank very smooth with the citrus not being too overpowering.  It was also nice to not have have a strong grassy and asparagus hint in this wine which is so common amongst this varietal.  

I started this bottle before dinner and decided to stick with it through my main course.  It paired great with a wood grilled Amberjack fish which I caught myself.  I like to use a medium flavored spice rub on this fish and the wine did a great job in complimenting it.

http://store.pedroncelli.com

The Fugitive, 2011 $25

Sonoma, CA (Dry Creek Valley)

So maybe you've had "The Prisoner" or maybe one of my favorites, "The Riddler"...but now you're "The Fugitive." As the bottle says..."Better to be the fugitive than behind bars."

With all kidding aside, this was recommended to me when searching out "The Prisoner" wine after having a great bottle of it at dinner the other night. For a bit less of the cost, I decided to try this wine and wow was I impressed.

The aromas were full of black cherry, toasted wood and black pepper. The flavors followed with ripe plums, ripe black berries, cocoa and most important a smooth mouth feel. Soft tannins with hints of mild black pepper led to a silky finish of warm toast and subtle dark fruits.

At first I guessed on the blend which I thought was heavy on the Zinfandel but alas I was somewhat wrong. 46% Petite Sirah, 41% Syrah, 12% Zinfandel and 1% Petite Verdot. Not shown on the bottle, it's made by Truett-Hurst. www.truetthurst.com

With it's amazing silky, smooth finish and the pairing with grilled skirt steak tonight, this will be a keeper in the wine rack now!