Santa Julia "Malbec"

[Chris Cognac]

Just cracked a bottle of this and must admit its got some nice flavor. Not harsh and has a nice finish without to much bite. I didnt know that Argentina made wine (showing my lack of knowledge) but its not bad. Anyone had this before and what are your thoughts? Also...what the heck is a Malbec? Its taste sort of like a Merlot.

[Rebel Rose]

You're right. Malbec is one of the varieties approved for making red wines in the Bordeaux region of France, along with cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, and petit verdot. (I think there's one more, actually, but I'm not remembering it right now.)

It is used in small percentages in the Bordeaux blends and appears to be thriving in Argentina.

I'm not very familiar with Malbec yet. (Hey, it's taking me awhile to work through sangiovese!) So I hope some of our other members can contribute more insight.

[WestOrangeFrank]

You may have tasted Malbec grapes in a Bordeaux, or other red varietals (often mixed w/ Cab and Merlot). French wines made the vine famous (known as Cot), but the temps and altitude in the Mendoza region of Argentina are optimal for growing.

Some of the good (findable) ones are Norton, Altos (great buy), and Trapiche.

Generally I find the Malbecs to be smoother than a cab, but with more structure than / not as lightweight as a merlot.

It's no wonder that Argentine wines aren't very popular, Argies drink their wine! See eG Malbec thread here. Behind Italy, they are the largest consumers of their own grown wine.

I spent some time in Buenos Aires, but am still a wine newbie, so maybe someone else can help us out with a better description.

This link has some good info on the bottle you enjoyed:

http://www.bullz-eye.com/wine_reviews/2004...bec_reserva.htm

[maremosso]

Argentina may be 10 years behind Chile in the wine business, but as a Johnny-come-lately, it takes the industry very very seriously indeed - and treats wine production with the earnestness it deserves.

Italian and French vines have taken well to the rich alluvial soils of many regions - the abundant water, hot sunny days and cool nights allow a slow and intense ripening of the grapes - with astoundingly good wines as a result.

Malbec is definitely the star. A beautiful deep red and potent wine, it goes wonderfully well with the beef and Patagonian lamb so pervasive in the "parrilllas" of Argentina.

Trapiche, Etchart, Luigi Bosca, Catena Zapata, and Norton are just a few of the many "Bodegas" producing outstanding wines.

One of my favourite producers is Famiglia Bianchi - their Chardonnay is world class - as well as a Valentin Bianchi.

Chandon (of France) have also set up shop in the Mendoza region. Their Champagne sells retail for about 6 dollars a bottle in Buenos Aires. But my favourite is Extreme, by Piper Heidsick.

I spent 6 months in Buenos Aires in 2004, and I took the Sommelier Course offered there. Definitely worth it, as it helped me understand our European wines better too!

[wkl]

Malbec is the main grape in wine from the Cahors region of France.I believe wine carrying the Cahors AOC must contain 70% Malbec.

If you liked the Argentine version, I would strongly suggest finding some Cahors at your local wine shop.

[mike volker]

I think that the Catena and Gascon malbecs are two of the best being imported. Great wine for the price.

Best,

Mike