Alamos
Red Blend (Malbec, Bonarda and Tempranillo)
2010
(Mendoza, Argentina)
On Bottle/Website:
* Displays deep, ripe flavors of blackberry and plum with layers of brown spice
* Vineyards lie in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, with intense sunlight and pure snowmelt water
* Embody the richness of this rugged, remote region
* 13.5% ABV
My Notes:
* Appearance: clear, day bright, medium intensity, ruby/garnet, purple rim, medium plus viscosity
* Nose: sound, clean, medium intensity, aroma/youthful, dark berries, blackberry, brown baking spice
* Palate: dry, medium bodied, confirms nose, medium plus alcohol, medium intensity, medium complexity, medium length
When I purchased this wine I was on my way to a friend’s house to enjoy a rigatoni dish filled with fresh garden vegetables. I wanted to pick up a Malbec from Argentina to pair with this meal. I recognized the Alamos bottle from a review I had recently read and struggled with the choice of the red blend or full Malbec. Although I do not put a large amount of stock in wine ratings, as everyone’s tastes are subjective, the sign about this particular red blend getting a high rating from Wine Enthusiast did sway my decision. It was a slightly older vintage than the Malbec, while also having Malbec as the primary grape varietal, so I thought I would take a risk.
I am glad that I purchased this bottle because we were both very pleased with the smooth, slightly spicy taste. We had a difficult time pinpointing the actual spices, even after clearing out her spice cabinet and comparing the aroma in the wine with the smells of the different spices. It was a great refresher in one of the tasting exercises I have completed about olfactory acuity. Ringing in at just above ten dollars, I will certainly purchase this wine again in the near future. It paired very well with the tomato, basil and other vegetables in our dish.
