One of my favorite wine regions is Argentina, and especially the excellent Malbec wines that are produced there.  Argentina is the fifth largest wine producing nation in the world, and Malbec is the king of grapes grown there.  There are a lot of great Malbec wines being produced in Argentina, especially in the region of Mendoza. Mendoza is the most famous wine producing region in Argentina, and over 75% of the country’s wine is produced there. 

 One particular producer from Mendoza that consistently puts out great wine is Dona Paula.  The winery has over 500 acres of vineyards, all of which are over 3,500 feet in altitude. The altitude combined with soils comprised of clay, stone and sand, contribute to the deep complex colors and high acidity found in the red wines produced here.  One cool fact about this winery is it practices sustainable agriculture, and is working hard to incorporate organic methods of agriculture to become as environmentally friendly as possible.

I recently tried a Dona Paula Malbec, the 2010 Los Cardos.  This had a nice medium purple color to it, and on the nose ripe black fruit with some earthy spiciness.  On the palate this wine has a nice structure of balanced tannins and acids, with hints of blackberry and dark chocolate.  

Another great wine produced by Dona Paula is a Shiraz-Malbec blend.  The 2008 vintage is composed of 60%Shiraz and 40% Malbec.  For the visual aspect, it is a clear purple in color, and on the nose it has spicy notes of dark red fruit. One the palate, the spicy dark fruit is very perceivable, with mild tannins, and a smooth spicy blackberry and plum finish.  Both of these wines would be great with beef, or even alone they make an excellent glass of wine.  Another great quality of these wines is the price.  At $8 for the Los Cardos Malbec and $14 for the Shiraz Malbec, it makes the experience that much better.

Cheers,

Seth