Word on the street is Malbec from Argentina is the new "cab."
Whoever started this rumor was right on, especially when it comes to Alamos Seleccion 2009 Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina. Perhaps these grapes are delicious due to the higher altitude of close to 5,000 feet (most mountaintop vineyards are sited below 3,000 feet). Or maybe it's the combination of elevation, climate, sun exposure and mountain snowmelt in the foothills of the Andes Mountains.
Winemaker Felipe stahlschmidt knows how to make good wine, and that's for certain. The Malbec is a great wine to start with, is robust in flavor, sure to leave some weight on your palate. Think dark color, violet aromatics with caramel, hints of spice and jammy fruit flavors with a deep, lush finish and you'll soon purchase a bottle or two ($20) of your own. And know that this wine is good to drink now.
And then there's the Alamos 2010 Red Blend ($13), made from Argentina's signature grape, Malbec, but with the addition of the grape called Bonarda (Argentina's second most widely planted red grape) and Tempranillo (my personal favorite grape of Spain). Blackberry flavor dominates, with hints of plum and brown spice.
For white wine lovers, Alamos makes a 2010 Chardonnay that is tropical and fruit-forward with the bite of oak to give it a richer mouthfeel with butter and nutty flavors ($13).
Purchase any of these wines at your local Kappy's.
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