“Argentina, Cahors, & More!”
Find out what Malbec is really all about! We cover the flavors, the history, and five fantastic bottles of everyone’s favorite grape.
Wines tasted include: Trumpeter Malbec, Teirra Divina Malbec,
Ique Malbec, Gouleyant Cahors Malbec, & Amancaya Malbec/Cabernet
Sauvignon.
This was grown in Italy, but in a part of Italy so far north that almost EVERYONE SPEAKS GERMAN as their main language. Somehow in this map, this is northeastern Italy and yet all the green space represents German speakers.
2007
Green = German-speaking
The flavors and aromas are green, white, and yellow… think green bananas, kiwi, and white flowers… along with perhaps a hint of pear juice. The yummy part for me is the wet, metallic, and stony smoke flavor that runs under everything- it smells a little bit like climbing into a cab in the financial district of new york just as it is starting to rain.
I had it with dish of chicken, apples, & summer squash smothered in…. yes, smothered (Burgundy-style!)…. in a dijon, basil, and rosemary sauce. It was quite a delicious pairing, too. Never underestimate a lighter, unoaked chardonnay as your secret weapon for food pairings. Also, cold weather Chardonnay is also often lighter and steelier than its beach-side California counterpart so stay open when your wine guy suggests a $20 bottle of Chard!
Straw-stirred and electrically acidic (the first glass was almost effervescent!) peaches, apricots, yellow roses on the nose with an almond skin finish.
It’s from so far north in Italy that many of the white wines there have a strong German/Austrian influence in that they have the tight acidity and sharpness of a real “gusher” sort of paper cut. It makes them fantastic food wines and keeps them so refreshing that you have to watch out or you might enjoy a couple more glasses than you had planned on!
Think of the Tocai/Friulano grape as a more sophisticated older sister of Sauvignon Blanc… it doesn’t offer a very in-your-face aroma or flavor, but if you get past the acerbic, half-whispered asides and the slow-to-reveal flavors, you’ll find deeper and more complex arguments of yellow flowers, green pears, almondine candle wax, and just enough citrus to make you always want another sip. Wonderfully enough, this beautiful bottle is under $15.
“Wine after Work” episode 2 - Gigondas
The second episode of our Wine after Work series. Today we’re focusing on Gigondas!
