 |
Hinojosa Malbec
Region: Mendoza Argentina
Vintage: 2009
Price: $20
Alcohol: 13.8%
|
Have you found yourself drinking more
Malbec recently? Well, this is one of our favorite varietals to drink. Malbec
has really made a surge recently in the marketplace, and we are enjoying every
bit of it. So, when we find a great one, we take it home.
Recently, while attending a wine tasting
at a friend’s wine bar in Pittsboro, NC, I discovered Hinojosa. I hadn’t heard of it before, so it
was worth a try since an Argentinian Malbec especially suites my fancy.
This
Malbec comes to us from the Mendoza region of Argentina and is oak aged 12
months in a 50/50 French/American oak.
The Experiment
One of my favorite features of a Malbec
is the changing characteristics that happens with this bold wine as it opens up
and is allowed to breathe. With our bottle of Hinojosa, we tried a little
experiment. Wanting to discover the transformation of flavors, we poured three
glasses of wine.
The First Glass
With the first glass, we drank immediately to gauge the ripe
flavors fresh from the bottle. Right out of the bottle, Hinojosa has a deep
purple color and wafts of alcohol which is followed swiftly by a notes of ripe
black fruits. On the palate, the taste is huge with cabernet characteristic,
but the alcohol takes over. This is the perfect example of why you should decant
your big red wines and let them breathe before drinking.
Time for the second glass.
After fifteen
minutes we came back to the second glass to taste how this Malbec has evolved
opening in the glass. We find the nose to be almost buttery with a hint of
vanilla. It is a night and day difference from the first glass. The rich black
fruits are still subtly there. The aeration process has tamed the overwhelming
alcohol notes to a more enjoyable tone. The taste of oak rises with rich
tannins and finishes with bits of peppery spice that is key to a Malbec.
Our third and final glass...
...has been
breathing for 30 minutes. This glass gives us a glimpse at how the Hinojosa
Malbec evolves to its full flavor profile with the black fruit and vanilla
tones balancing the pepper and alcohol of the bottle. The transformation of
flavors was apparent and the complexity of this wine explodes differently on
your palate with each taste.
This is an excellent food wine that
would pair nicely with a pepper steak with horseradish studded mash potatoes and poached parsnips. Its a hearty wine for a hearty meal perfect in colder weather.
Rating
So, how would we rate this one
- Flavor Profile: 8.00
- Drinkability: 7.00
- Affordability: 7.00
- Overall Enjoyment: 7.30
Cheers!
Keith
Have you joined our A Bit of Wine Newsletter yet? Why not? Sign up today to get exclusive membership discounts and to be the first to know about products, events, pairings & more! Sign up TODAY!
No comments:
Post a Comment