Varietal: 100% Malbec
Region: Argentina – Uco Valley
Cost: $12 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Deep red in color with cherry, plum, and vanilla notes. Pairs well with steak, sharp cheeses, and BBQ.
My Review: First, a bit of related knowledge. The name of the vineyard is actual a reference to the Tango, which originated in Argentina. The “caminada” is the walk, a seemingly simple, but key step within the Tango. The idea is that you do the simple things correctly and the rest will fall into place. Ok…now on to the wine.
I make no secret of my fondness for Malbec, and in I think this past weekend I consumed perhaps a record amount of it between this bottle and an evening out with some friends. It’s a versatile grape that is great for pairing with foods as well as sipping by itself. With my in-laws in town and a big meal of some beef stew prepared for the four of us by my wife, I thought this would be a good bottle to open up.
The wine was a nice deep red in the glass, and I got aromas of cherry and a touch of vanilla. My first sip really gave me the nice cherry flavors that I’d come to expect from the varietal, but it wasn’t as bright as I was expecting – more bold and with a note of earthy/footie flavor that I wasn’t completely turned off by, but wasn’t entirely expecting either.
Paired with the meal the wine was a different matter entirely. I had picked this wine to pair with the meal as I thought the typical bright Malbec flavors that I tend to enjoy would be a nice counter note to the stew. Unfortunately, as it didn’t have all those flavors, it wasn’t a great pairing with the meal. I don’t know if it was some combination of the vegetables or the broth or something else, but when paired with the meal, the wine took on a sort of prune juice flavor that wasn’t enough to make me stop drinking, but wasn’t exactly great either.
I’m not ready to say avoid this wine, because without the food it wasn’t bad, but if you do grab a bottle of it, I’d say stick to a steak or some BBQ, as what I paired it with was a big mistake. If you do try this wine, I’d love to hear your experience as I suspect mine isn’t typical.
