Malbec

2024 marks the 20th vintage for Spottswoode’s Lyndenhurst label. The original goal is still the same: use all five Bordeaux varietals and pull fruit from the estate as well as other exceptional Napa vineyards, all of which are organically grown. In doing so this wine allows for, “a broader expression of Napa Valley, while applying the same philosophy that shapes our Estate Cabernet,” says winemaker Aron Weinkauf.

Domaine Bousquet remains a great source for well priced wines that are not only very good to outstanding, but made in a sustainable way.  This is 100% Malbec from Argentina.  Purple in  color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with plums, cedar, and a slight note of raisin.  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, plums and black cherries with a slight dark chocolate note.  Not the most complex wine in the world but quite tasty and a fantastic value.  This is great on its own and works very well with meats, fowl or veggies off the grill.  

One of the better Argentinian Malbecs that I have had.  Made from very old vines and brought up in concrete eggs.  Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has plums, boysenberries and slight strawberries along with a nice minerality.  Great plush texture.  Medium tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate black raspberries, with a tart acidity.  Long finish.  This is a big wine but also delicious.  Great on its own, it will need bigger foods to work with.  A great choice with a grilled steak.  Drink over the next ten years.  

Washington’s Columbia Valley has long produced Cabernet. Though vine plantings started in the 1960s, it was the 1930s that saw the plantings of traditional grapes like Cabernet and Chardonnay. Now the Valley is well know and producing some very good wine. On initial opening of the 2022 Greenwing Cabernet, there is noticeable jammy fruit and as first an overt sweetness. But this Cabernet needs time to evolve and within 45 minutes the sweet fruit has subsided and the tannins and oak take over, giving you a quality Cabernet.

Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has ripe plums, black raspberries, violets and a nice earthy note.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good energy.  On the palate, this is tasty.  Black raspberry and raspberry fruits with some earthiness.  Good finish.  This drinks easy but should gain some complexity as it ages.  Drink over the next ten years.  Nice on its own, this would work well with comfort food dishes such as Beef Stroganoff.  Outstanding value!

Since the early 1990s, Paraduxx has created blended red wine to show off the Napa Valley. A bit larger and more macerated than previous vintages, it is still nonetheless an enjoyable, solid wine. The tannins are a little more aggressive here with the fruit being both expressive but still subdued. The more noticeable element is the oak; an 18-month program of both French and Hungarian, with 40% of the barrels being brand new. The composition is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, then diminishing proportions of Zinfandel, Malbec, Merlot, Syrah and Petit Sirah, in that order.

It’s not that Malbec is a forgotten grape, it’s that it doesn’t get the love it deserves, and too often wineries seem to want it to taste like Cabernet. Enter Whitehall Lane, who makes this impressive Malbec that you will love - a Malbec that tastes like a Malbec should. The fruit is supported by a tannic structure that provides an earthiness and rusticity to it. Blackberry brambleberry, huckleberry and boysenberry all work together to create a rich wine that’s not over the top but not subdued either. The mid-palate reveals the wines’ acidity with notes of sandalwood and cocoa powder.