| Malbec has been an increasingly popular red wine | | | | from Argentina. The nose usually has a vegetable, |
| for the past three of four years. The grape was | | | | pepper, or green pepper aroma; this is a |
| originally used as a blending grape in the Bordeaux | | | | consistent characteristic for a lot of Argentine red |
| region of France. Now it is being grown in many | | | | wines, both low priced and expensive. The fruit is |
| countries and has taken on styles of light and | | | | usually cherry, raspberry, or plum for the younger |
| fruity to heavy and earthy. The most popular | | | | wines. The older wines tend to show darker fruit |
| Malbec wines at this time are coming from | | | | characteristics, such as black cherry or blackberry. |
| Argentina. This wine tasting guide will give you my | | | | A young wine (3 to 5 months in the barrels) will |
| personal opinion on the tasting characteristics of | | | | be lighter bodied, due to the small amount of time |
| Argentine Malbec, both the economical and more | | | | it spends in contact with the skins, and have less |
| expensive ones. | | | | of an oak taste; the taste will reflect this by |
| The sight of the Malbec can help you tell the | | | | showing little more than the smell characteristics. |
| difference between a young wine and an aged | | | | A more aged wine (12 to 24 months in the |
| one. It can also give you an indication of how | | | | barrels) will be heavier bodied and will add to the |
| much contact it had with the grape skins during | | | | characteristics; some of these may be cocoa, |
| the aging process. The younger wine will have a | | | | vanilla, or some sort of spice. |
| purple center with a ruby red edge, while an older | | | | Malbec is a versatile wine when it comes to food |
| wine will have almost a black center with a dark | | | | pairing. When I drink Malbec from Argentina, I plan |
| burgundy edge. As you swirl the wine and watch | | | | on having some sort of food with it; this goes |
| it run down the glass, you will notice it quickly | | | | well with the earthy characteristics. This food |
| disappear if it has a light body or it will slowly run | | | | could be something as simple as, crackers and |
| down if it is heavy bodied. Most economical (under | | | | cheese for a young wine, to steak for an aged |
| ten dollars) Malbecs have little aging and skin | | | | bottle. |
| contact, while the more expensive ones go | | | | This wine tasting guide was meant to give you a |
| through a longer aging process in oak barrels. | | | | basic overview of the Malbecs produced in |
| The nose and taste profile is different between | | | | Argentina. There are different characteristics for |
| Argentine Malbecs than Malbecs from other | | | | the grapes that are grown in different areas |
| countries. Most Argentine Malbecs have more | | | | within the country, but this is beyond the scope |
| earthy characteristics that come through first, | | | | of this article. Once you taste Malbec from |
| while some from other countries are simple and | | | | different regions, try to develop your own opinion |
| fruit forward; this is the main distinction in Malbecs | | | | of the characteristics. |