WGGW Tasting Lab
Alta Vista
Terroir Selection Malbec
Malbec may not have been on YOUR radar of late, but it is on someone’s…
Like the sands that SLOWLY fall through that damn tiny little spout in an hourglass, so did the footprint of Malbec in the market. A few years back (and I’m talking a FEW), this was the “it” grape. This was the grape that everyone ordered by the glass, insisted on having with a steak, purchased for their holiday table, and for very good reasons; the grape satisfies the American palate while giving a twinge of the old country. You get lush fruit, then you get an elbow of tannins. Eplosions of deep red berries hit your palate, but then a sneaky spice ducks its head up for you to notice. It’s flirty, it’s fun, it’s a bit of a casual wine drinker crowd pleaser, and dare I say - it’s back!
Don’t dig into my words too deeply; I realize we are not swimming in Malbec sales. However, there is something that happens when people get, well, chilly. We look for comfort any way we can get it; a sweater, a cozy blanket, some stinky candles, and a big fat glass of wine. Your Sauvignon Blanc doesn’t messure up anymore, does it? Understood, and I slightly agree; however, this grape sticks around all season long. You are just longing for a dance with the ever-pleasing, juicy, and distinctive Malbec devil of a grape now when you ignored this boy in June.
I’m not going to offer up a chunky mess of a Malbec like those I have been tasting lately. There is a SLEW of cotton candy tasting, up front, obnoxious, inappropriate, bitter - I’ll stop, because with the bad, there is also the good. Let’s talk about the good.
Quickie Wine Tidbit - this is originally a French grape. There is a lovely and slightly dramatic story of how this grape got to Argentina, but I’ll save that for another time. Right now I want you to think ABOUT Argentina; steak on an outdoor grill, handsome Gauchos winking at you from horseback (just me?), the Andes Mountains as your backdrop - you see it, don’t you? This is how I outline if a wine is a “wine of place” or not. I want to taste Argentina in every glass. I want to understand the narrative and history of the vineyard. I want the winemaker to tell me the version of what makes this wine great.
So now I’m going to spin this; Alta Vista is owned by an accomplished French Wine Industry professional who would like to express HIS experience through Argentine viticulture. Susan; you just told me you want to drink a wine of place - doesn’t that mean total absorption of cultural history, acknowledgment of social behaviors, winemakers that exist only to make wine that they believe in? Yes and yes - this winery is accomplishing that authenticity while providing over-the-top exceptional fruit quality by only sourcing from four vineyards. There is control; however, there is a release to the region’s specificity. Malbec is allowed to speak as it should - with tension and structure, richness and depth, solidity and elegance.
“Energy” is the best way to describe wines from Argentina. (and Chile for that matter). Fun and coquettish, frisky and compliant. This wine is a blend of two areas in Argentina; Lujan de Cuyo and Uco Valley. Lujan de Cuyo speaks of elegance and intensity due to the high altitude vineyards. : Lush in every good way, ripe red and expansive, deep and brooding. Uco Valley tips its hat to freshness and structure - exactly what will measure out all the fullness we are already receiving. There is complexity; we start to weave intricate layers into the conversation. You are receiving the best of both worlds - sip alert that this Malbec will deliver wine-loving/soul-searching/introspective thinking and “let’s change the world” conversation. (maybe after a few sips…)
Best way to sell Malbec; don’t put it in the South American section of the store. Create a progressive wine list and slot this under the “Big Bold Reds”. Plan a fun little happy hour, and pair some funky empanadas for the folks. Consumers need a slippy slide to get them to this grape - they are adventurous, but there is a limit. My message here is to have fun, which is what wine should be. Take it seriously, but then let go of your inhibitions about what this grape WAS and why it doesn’t measure up to the funky crap everyone is pushing out there. There is a witty end of the evening waiting for you in a glass of Malbec. Let it put you to bed, and let it tell you a new story.
Fun picture below from Argentina, my friend Patrick D’Aulan - who is the owner and creator of the winery, and an activation of an “Asado” or Argentine BBQ, featuring wines from Alta Vista.
