~$15US 51% Merlot 49% Malbec, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Without warning, this wine blew my freakin’ mind - A kinda-Bordeaux blend from Hawkes Bay New Zealand, that was a bin-end impulse buy. It starts with a complex nose, earthy (sheep? wet wooly socks?), rhubarb, bing cherries and spice cabinet. The palate is juicy, poised and medium bodied - with a beam of liquid-dried-cherries and punchy acidity. There is primal umami / soy sauce / savory edge to the flavors (especially on the 2nd day) that is like catnip to me. A fleeting flavor that also reminds me of mahogany and pipe tobacco, whatever that means. I can’t put my finger on it, the whole wine is a moving target of brilliant red fruit and strange savory goodness. The finish is chock full of stones, saline, and strawberry seeds. Fowl, pork, even pasta could team up nicely.

I called my retailer, and they are sold out. I’m crushed.  Must. Have. More. Anyone have a tip?

Anyway…I had no idea that is what Merlot and Malbec can do in NZ.  I wanna taste a Syrah next?!

I think ‘09 may be the year of the Kiwi. Brilliant wine.

~$15US   40% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 20% Syrah, Mendoza, Argentina

This didn’t live up to the hype (Michel Rolland at the helm here, the controversial Bordeaux-magician), at least to my palate. Initially, a mix of black fruits backed by overt wood and rough-as-sandpaper tannins.  After hours of decanting and tasting, the fruit faded but the oak and tannins remained. There seemed to be good potential on the initial tastes, but after time, the wine became more disjointed, awkward, and stiff. Perhaps it will age more gracefully in bottle than it did in the decanter, but for me, this is a major pass.

~$15-20US 100% Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina
Color: Rich Purple
Nose: Wild berries, sage, shawarma spice, sumac
Palate: Explosive and powerful, tremendous balance of big fruit and clean acidity, sweetness and meatiness (lamb?).
Finish: Apple cider tartness, medium length, grape Lik-M-Aid

Wow - this is one exciting wine. Stylistically fruit forward, but the fruit was surrounded by a baroque assortment of spices, herbs, and second- and third-tier aromatics. A dichotomy - sweet and tart, candied and earthy, familiar and exotic. No tannins to speak of  - the acid playing a much more important role in the framework and overall structure - making this a  versatile food-wine. I’d love to try it alongside middle-eastern fair.

~$17US Claret blend: 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, and 10% Malbec, Columbia Valley, Washington

Nose: Black currant, bell peppers, pine sap
Palate: No doubt the strong suite here: Well-integrated tannins, smooth and round on the palate. Bell pepper again.
Finish: Slightly artificial caramel and vanilla notes detract from the overall restraint and balance

Easy-drinking. Well-crafted, generous, and balanced. A terrific value, but not blowing my mind with any 1 aspect or an overall impression…