LCBO Sale Wine of the Week: June 30

Trapiche 2014 Reserve Malbec (Argentina)

Sale $10.95, Regular $11.95
Discount (until July. 17): $1.00
LCBO # 614651 | 750 mL bottle

Tastes like: Ripe plum and blackberry, spicy notes and a touch of meatiness. A good, clean wine with a nice finish.
Pairs with: Grilled meats — Malbec was made for BBQ!
Good for: Buying by the case — this is your summer go-to wine.
Alcohol: 14%
Drink: Now.

Why we're drinking this
Mendoza is the adopted home of Argentinian Malbec. The grape was pretty much despised in France in the mid-19 th century, due to its propensity to rot and reluctance to ripen, but nevertheless found its way to Argentina where it was intended to improve the overall quality of the wines made there. Here, it did very well, basking in the hot, dry heat and high altitude, as compared to the cooler conditions in Bordeaux and the southwest of France. But it was about 10 years ago that Malbec really took off in North America — remember Fuzion? The Wall Street Journal in 2011 called it “the wine of regular people,” noting its grass-roots popularity. That is, it became a hit wine because regular people found it good value and easy to drink. It wasn’t the snooty sommeliers pushing the latest thing. Most of the Malbec we see here in Ontario are on the “value” side, but in Argentina premium bottles go for upwards of $50.

Tasting note
This is a typical well-made Argentinian Malbec. It’s easy to like, with straightforward plum, blueberry/blackberry fruit with a little beet and rhubarb adding a wild side. It’s got that meaty-spicy note that’s pretty much par for the course too. A touch of vanilla from the oak and a slightly herbaceous finish. This is nice and easy — a mid-weight wine with nice acidity and good fruit, and soft tannins. Anyone should like this. And you can’t beat the price!

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This week's selection by kwäf Taste Bud Dick Snyder