Luigi Bosca Reserva Malbec 2008, you see but not too much

Luigi Bosca, Malbec Reserve 2008, By Familia Arizu, USD 17.

Essencial of ARG malbec. From Vistalba District in Lujan de Cuyo Departament of Mendoza. Not what I mean when say a wonderfull malbec but good struture and the abc of a malbec from Lujan de Cuyo. Nice nose of ripe plum and raspberries. Jammy and well scented. You may catch violets. The palate is less than pure. More initial palate than middle and end palate. Short aftertaste but likeable smoke and chocolate. A tiny spiciness hint. I woudn´t expect a better red after 4 years cellar for this dense and heavy malbec on the beginning but fading away weak pretty soon. I´ll go 86 points and a barely accetable value price. I´d gone happier if I´ve payed 8-10 bucks.

Lindaflor 2002 By Monteviejo; keeps growing quite fine

Lindaflor 2002, Malbec by Bodega Monteviejo, Uco Valley ,USD 40.

Great maturation these 8 years for this typical malbec from Uco´s. Strong black sour fruits pop up from the beginning. Mouthfull chocolate and toast well entangled. Solid and attractive tannins with marvelous backbone. Very seductive. From the middle and growing through late palate and aftertaste I pick up a quite attractive tutti frutti (candied) component hallmark of Rolland´s wines of Uco Valley that seems to come from oak and cellar. I guess it could get better with some terciary notes in the upcomming years and bring more complexity. I´d say a 93 points malbec, may be 95-97 if aged some 3-4 years more. Great Value.

Saurus, Sauvignon Blanc 2007, pour me more

Saurus, Sauvignon Blanc 2007, By Bodega Familia Shroeder, USD 10.

Very nice S Blanc from San Patricio´s Valley in Neuquén, Northpatagonia.Wide palette of citric fruits, mostly grapefruit and soft rude plant. Gentle sweetness. Nice white flowers and a llittle bit of melon. Quite likeable mostly by the balance. I´d say 89 points and a very good value. Looks like you might enjoy it 4-5 years old.

Presidential Blend 2002 by Escorihuela Gascón, lets see

Miguel Escorihuela Gascón, Blend 2002, By Bodega E Gascon,USD 50.

(Internationally sold as Presidential Blend) This Malbec based blend (85% malbec, 10% cab sau and 5% merlot with minor amounts of syrah) from Mendoza is a quite complex and attractive red. Well balanced, more red than black fuits, with some chocolate and smoke and clear long aftertaste. A bit of not nice acidity even the cork was o.k. You may get some sweet bell pepper but not dominant. Could it get better with some couple of years of cellaring? I´d say 90 points red and just a barely acceptable value to price.

Celador Malbec 2007 By Cielo y Tierra , Oscar award behind

El Celador, Malbec 2007, By Cielo y Tierra, Lunlunta District (Mendoza) ,USD 19.

Quite attractive malbec from Maipu Departament of Mendoza. Gustavo Santaolalla (Oscar winner for music of Brokeback Mountain and Babel) is one of the guys behind it (see Don Juan Nahuel malbec 2005, Jul 2010) and these are their first releases. Nice combination of fruit, ripe and juicy, mostly plum and blackberries, with soft vanilla and amazing coconuts in a Californian styled red. A bunch may not like it, but the most will pick it up as very attractive and likeable. I´l go 89 points for a malbec of 4-5 years cellaring with a good value to price.

Petite Fleur, Malbec bland from Uco´s and a family history behind

Petite Fleur ,Malbec blend 2008, By Monteviejo Bodega & Viñedos, USD 19.

Nice and round malbec blend from Uco´s Valley. Short at the end though ,what makes it not as good as you might imagine. Good acid black more than red small wild fruits typical of Uco´s. Hints of spices and smoke. Not wide in palate and actually short aftertaste wich is kind of deceptive. This is not what you expect of a Uco´s malbec of 2 years old for 20 bucks. I´d say 84 points and not a good price value after all.

Pura Sangre 2005, From Lunlunta district a good boy

Pura Sangre, Malbec bland, By Domaine St Diego, USD 19.

Malbec 80% from Lunlunta district of Maipu Departament by Angel Mendoza. Nice and rich blend with fruitiness all around but softly entangled with almost no oak at all. Round and elegant.Spiciness in a very delecate way. Quite short regrettably. Probably to enjoy before 4 years cellar I guess. A 86 points red and an acceptable value though.

Intimo Family Reserve 2009 from Bodega Canale, an attractive northpatagonian

Intimo Family Reserve 2009, By Bodega Canale, USD 19

A blend Malbec based from Rio Negro´s High Valley showing great typicity and attrativeness.Nice vanilla from the start off with a beautiful mix of black and red wild berries and also ripe cooked quince and plum marmalade.Quite wide in middle palate with good aftertaste. Good acidity and alcohol in balance with tannins and fruitiness. I´d say a wine for 4-6 years cellar and a 90 point malbec based red. Good value.

Blush Rose 2010, Fron Northpatagonia a good sweet and traditional value

Blush Rosé 2010, By Bodega Canale, USD 7

Nice soft red blend turned into rose that gives off sweet cherries and raspberries ripe and soft.Not very complex though but not over sweet either. Nice company to many finger food and a easy to drink rose.Young to drink young (less than 2 years). 80 points with good price value.

Graffigna Late Harvest Malbec 2008, acceptable quality from San Juan Province

Graffigna Malbec Tardio 2008 (Late Harvest). By Graffigna Wines, San Juan. USD 13 (500 ml)Good soft and balanced sweet malbec from San Juan Province in Northwest Argentina (close to mendoza).Stronger sun and hot summer give rise to a mostly fruity malbec with low acidity and a good opportunity fora late harvest. Nice fuits like plum and black cherries compoted and slightly smoked. Very delicate and soft bodied.Young to enjoy very young before die. Acceptable value for this 83 points

Barrandica, Blend 2007, Very good effort from Tunuyan, High lands of Mendoza

Barrandica, Malbec 2007, By Barrandica Wineyards, Tunuyan District Mendoza, USD 10.

Very good blend of Cab Sau, Merlot and Malbec from the high lands of Mendoza. Strong backbone of ripe and sour black fruits with very nice lactic acidity. Quite typicity from a vineyard of high Mendoza.Great middle palate and an comfortable aftertaste. Very well priced. A 88 points wine for 10 bucks makes it a very good value (it´ll be a good value even for 15 USD ) and better than most of `the same level´ most exported Argentina´s reds (I won´t say wich ones, just look around the blog or even better taste them).

Tomero Malbec 2009, a chance from Vistalba District

Tomero, Malbec 2009, By Tomero Wines (Carlos Pulenta Winery), USD 10

Vistalba district of Lujan de Cuyo´s Departament in Mendoza. Nice roud and easy to drink malbec. Notes of strawberries with raspberries soft and sweet. Good backbone oftannins. Very soft smoke and chocolate don´t disturb the good fruits in it. Young to drink less han 4 years old.Not concentrated but straight. Not memorable but typical and original at the same time from where was born. I´d say a 86 points wine with a very good value component.

Compare the 2008 vintage tasted younger. Actually a better year than 09.

http://argentinawinesrevisited.blogspot.com/2010/08/tomero-malbec-2008-beauty-from-vistalba.html

Rutini Cabernet Saubignon & Malbec 2007, tradition and quality up for grabs

Rutini Cabernet Saubignon & Malbec 2007, By Rutini Wines , USD 20

Very attractive ensamble for a red that combines wide palate, nice mix of ripe red and black fruits, soft envelope of oak (like chocolate) and good aftertaste. Mostly grapes from Maipu Departament. Enjoyable and to remember. I´d say 89 points red to cellar its best for 4-6 years. Not surprised if some gets better by 8 years. Very good value no doubt.

Otello Malbec reserve 2006, from perdriel a good value

Otello, Malbec reserve 2006, By Sottano Winery, USD 7-8

Nice malbec from Perdriel District in Lujan de Cuyo Departament, Mendoza.You go through cooked black fruits like plum and quince marmalade. Hints of blackberries and black currant with a bit, just a little bit of smoke and chocolate . Soft and gentle all through the palate. A young to cellar mostly the short term (drink young before 5 years old) .I´d say a 85 points malbec worthwile the price no doubt (good value).

Colome Tannat 2009, From Cafayate Salta a strange but something red

Colome, Tannat 2009, By Bodega Colome (Hess Collection), USD 23

Interesting red from Cafayate Valley, Salta. A high altitud wineyard (5,400 ft, 1700 mt) with nice red deep typical of there with notes of purple. Inviting nose that goes quite attractive in the palate mostly red cooked fruits in harmony with appropiate chocolate and smoke. Harmonic all palate with nice aftertaste. I´d say a `young to enjoy young´ wine of 88 points with a good value component.

Benegas Finca Libertad, 2005 From High Mendoza River a rolling Cab based blend

Benegas Finca Libertad, By Bodegas Benegas, USD 25

A blend a Cabernet Sauvignon with some Franc and Merlot from High Mendoza River. Good blend with dominant Cab Sau descriptors like red and green bell peppers, sweet and ripe.Nice dark fruits no very sour but likeable. Soft vanilla and smoke from oak. Nice balance. Not very attractivemay be because not having malbec in it. A wine to cellar 5-8 years with improving complexity. I´d say a 89 points winewith a very good value component.

Enclave Sur, Sauvignon Balnc & Semillon Late Haverst 2010, wow !

Enclave Sur, Late Harvest Semillon & Sauvingnon Blanc 2010, By Enclave Sur, USD 10

Wonderfull wine from Rio Negro Valley (Choele Choel district). A blend of late harvested Sauvignon Blanc 70% and Semillon 30 %. Nice remembrances of sweet grapefruit with mango and a hint of white roses that give place to a round winein the palate. Nice alcohol and acidity give body and pleasant endurance. I´d say a wine for cellaring not more than 2 years anda 88 points late harvest with very god value component.