UPDATE:
After opening a second bottle of this Malbec I realize I may have underrated this fine wine. With a little more air, I found this wine to be very good. I will be purchasing this wine again and maybe even a half case of it. It opened up with much more fruit (plum, dried cherries) and had a beautiful, long finish. I would now give this wine an eight on our ten cork scale and give it a strong recommendation for the value. Just try to be a little more patient than I was the first time. Grape Nut (impatient wine drinker)
The Wine: Bodegas Senetiner Nieto Reserva Malbec
Country: Argentina
Region: Mendoza
Category: Red, 100% Malbec, 12 months in French Oak
Vintage: 2004
Price: $8.00
Decanted or Not: No
I decided to review a malbec, because I generally like the bang for the buck you get from this wine. If you stick to certain Bodegas (wineries) you will generally do pretty well. You will most likely get a big, bold red showing a little terrior and don't usually have to pay too much to get it. Other times you end up with complete crap. This wine, I feel, falls somewhere in between.
I had heard good things about the Bodegas Senetiner. I saw it, saw the price, I bought it. I wish I could claim more research or a more esoteric reason, but not much more went into the purchase.
Tasting Notes:
Color: Dark ruby red
Legs: Good legs, bottles states it has an alcohol level of 13.5% by volume
Nose: Strong scent of dried cranberries and cherries on the nose. Almost a hint of flowers.
Taste: Wine showed nice dried fruit up front, with cherries being the most prominent (in my opinion). Strong tannins with an almost chalky, earthy finish. Mouth feel was good, with a nice velvet finish, but lacks a bit.
Not a bottle I would serve with the first course, more like the last the last course when company has been properly over served. I won't be purchasing it again, but I am not kicking my self for buying it.
4 comments:
malbecs are like antique stores...you either find something you love, or nothing at all.
Thx for the review!
It also appears Wine Spectator disagrees with me, giving the wine an 88 on their 100 point scale. I still have a half bottle of it to drink, some maybe a little more air will help me truely appreciate this wine. Or, maybe not.
never let a magazine influence your review, my friend. The experts at Wine Spectator (who also write Cigar Aficionado) live the dream by reviewing wine (or cigars) for a living. But that doesn't mean they share your same tastes. If you think it is mediocre or inconsistent, then you are right my friend.
Fight the power.
Agreed. Don't let some half-ass writer influence your opinion.
Good blog-- keep up the good work.
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