Malbec has entered a phase in this country were most wine drinkers are well aware of it and more than likely have also tasted it. Many people drink it regularly as it’s become a go to choice for a lot of folks. And with it’s easy to like characteristics it’s easy to see why. But most of the Malbec people are drinking leans towards one style; wines whose most prominent feature is juicy up front fruit. Nothing wrong with that if you like it and there are bargains to be bad. But there are many other faces to Malbec. Today I’ll look at one from Trapiche.
The Trapiche 2008 Broquel Malbec was made from fruit sourced at vineyards with 25 years of age on them. These vines sit between 900 and 1,200 meters above sea level. This wine is 100% Malbec. Fermentation took place in concrete vats over a period of 25 days. Barrel aging followed over 15 months in a combination of French and American oak. This wine has a suggested retail price of $18.
Boysenberry, blackberry and a wisp of vanilla are all apparent in the slightly reticent nose of this 2008 Malbec from Mendoza. There fruit flavors throughout the palate also lean towards the darker end of the spectrum with continued blackberry as well as black raspberry. Mineral, earth and a solid wallop of black pepper are all part of the finish along with dark, dusty baker’s chocolate notes. This wine has soft, lush tannins and solid acidity.
This Malbec from Trapiche is more austere than the average with tighter structure. While this wine is delicious today it’ll continue to be very enjoyable for the next 3-5 years. A nicely made Malbec.