Cheers

January 2015

Cheers is dedicated to delivering hospitality professionals the information, insights and data necessary to drive their beverage business by covering trends and innovations in operations, merchandising, service and training.

Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/458161

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 38 of 43

www.cheersonline.com 39 January/February 2015 • tannins and a hint of lovely terroir. Nice now, it will cellar for several years. ($20) (95) Chateau Nozieres Ambroise de l'Her Cahors 2010. Ninety percent malbec and 10% merlot aged 14 months in oak barrels. Blue/black in color and viscous in the glass. A bouquet of lilacs and berries leads to lovely fl avors of blueberry and spice with a touch of sweet and toasty oak. Tannins are supple with a touch of earthiness on the fi nish. Very French, very good! ($20) (95) Lionel Osmin La Reserve Malbec 2011 (France). An excellent example of malbec (100%) from Southwest France, home of the grape's origins. Aged 10 months, 80% stainless, 20% oak. The wine has a beautiful deep-blue color. Aromas and fl avors of berry, black cherry, coffee, and some sweet spice fi nish with soft tannins and a hint of terroir. This is a great introduction to "old-world" malbec and a terrifi c value! ($13) (95) Decero Malbec Remolinos Vineyard- Agrelo 2011 (Argentina). The vineyard is located at 3,500 feet in Mendoza's sub-region of Agrelo where the grapes are hand picked. The wine, aged in French oak barrels for 14 months, is a superb example of modern Argentine winemaking. A fl oral nose leads to concentrated fl avors of sweet/tart red fruits with nuances of cedar, spice, and vanilla. The tannins are fi rm and linger with some lip-smacking acidity. Pair this with a good steak! ($23) (95) Luigi Bosca Malbec 2011 (Argentina). Intense with sweet tannins, ripe red fruits, cassis and black pepper tones. A pure and full-bodied malbec. This bold gem pairs nicely with braised short ribs, stews and game. ($17) (94) Achavel Ferrer Finca Bella Vista 2010. Move over Bordeaux: This is a keeper! Brooding, dark and powerful, with ripe tannins, elegant minerality and dark chocolate. A fi ne example of a collectible cellar wine. ($100) (93) Altamira de los Andes, Reserve Malbec 2009 (Argentina). High-altitude malbec sourced from three of the best grow- ing areas in the Uco valley. Aged 18 months in oak, this wine has beautiful violet color in the glass, with intense aromas of cherry and vanilla and just a hint of dark chocolate. A formidable, classic malbec. ($45) (93) Achaval Ferrer Malbec 2012 (Argentina). Full, bright ruby red. Porty, yet high-pitched aromas of blackberry, kirsch, blueberry and violet are complicated by bal- samic and black olive nuances. Dense, thick and super ripe, but still with noteworthy clarity to its dark fruit and fresh fi g fl avors. A nutty oak element is leavened by insinuating acidity. The wine ultimately displays a very attractive sugar/acid balance and fi nishes with good lift. ($31) (93) Vina Cobos Felino Malbec 2012 (Argentina). This Felino malbec carries a deep magenta hue and aromas of dark berries and anise. On the palate, intense, pure fl avors of just-picked raspberries, black plum and graphite unfold in velvety layers. Exotic notes of ginger and white pepper carry through the mid-palate to intermingle with fi rm tannins and notes of cedar on the fi nish. ($21) (92) Vina Solaya Malbec 2013 (Argentina). Dark ruby red, this elegant malbec has aromas of red currants, blackberries and plums, with notes of pepper and clove. Flavors of black cherries and juicy plums fi ll the mouth with hints of cedar and vanilla on the fi nish. ($15) (92) Salentein Numina 2012 (Argentina). A Bordeaux blend from Argentina's Uco Valley that is 62% malbec, this wine is smooth and elegant, with fi ne tannins, complex black fruit notes and a long fi nish that would indicate ageability. ($43) (92) Mascota Vineyards Malbec ROD (Argentina). A deep, savory malbec with a core of dark plum and spice box; the fl avors intermingle effortlessly with just the right amount of oak. The wine fi nishes with a pleasurable, silky texture. ($14) (92) Colome Malbec 2012 (Argentina). This is defi nitely the whole milk of malbec, with some of the highest-elevation fruit on the planet. The grapes have a rich concentration of fl avors that show dramatically through every sip. Savor this malbec with a grilled steak or simply after dinner by a fi re on a cold winter night. ($28) (92) Layer Cake Malbec 2012 (Argentina). A classic malbec: Big, brooding, black fruit, then rich earth, truffl es and dark cocoa are at the front. The vineyard is at its core, always evident with the thread of minerality that the deep alluvial cobblestones lend. This wine is so elegant in the mouth, with fresh-picked blackberries, hints of chocolate and wisps of smoked bacon. ($17) (92) Altos Las Hormigas malbec Reserve 2011. Concentrated cassis, peppercorn and blueberry with a touch of mocha on the fi n- ish. This malbec's medium-bodied structure can handle a good steak. ($25) FOUR STARS (91) Nieto Camilla Malbec 2014 (Argentina). This hedonistic-style malbec is fruit-forward with attractive notes of ripe red cherries and cola. Full body, with fi rm and polished tannins and a long, beautiful fi nish. An excellent paring with burgers, steak and chicken off the grill. ($15) (91) Achaval Ferrer Malbec (Argentina). Big, bold and fl avorful—the kind of wine that made Argentine malbec so popular. ($30) (91) Cruz Alta Malbec (Argentina). A malbec crafted from three high-altitude vineyards in the mountains of Mendoza; inky and concentrated with robust fl avors of black fruit, cigar box, and chocolate; smooth fi nish with good length. ($14) (91) Santa Ana Malbec Reserve (Argentina). Fragrant with aromas of black cherry and lavender; well balanced between the intensity of the plum and cedar fl avors and the structured, crisp fi nish. ($13) (91) Vistamar Sepia Malbec Reserva (Chile). A lively, ripe malbec with bright fl a- vors of black cherries and hints of espresso bean; spicy tannins and a slightly creamy texture are woven together in a pleasurable fi nish. ($12)

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Cheers - January 2015