The 2009 Aguaribay Mendoza Malbec has finesse, style, depth and complexity, Wine Wisdom columnist Roger Gentile says.
The Edmond Rothschild family owns a few little wines such as Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Chateau Clarke and Chateau Malmaisson.
As well, the family owns a fascinating, different-from-the-pack Argentine red called 2009 Aguaribay Mendoza Malbec (the name being a tree found in South America). This fleshy wine has finesse, style, depth and complexity.
The color is a deep garnet, with the nose sporting a brilliant combination of black cherry, mulberry, root spices, minerals and earth.
Just shy of being full-bodied, the flavors are of black fruit, sweet spices and a fine herb finish that washes over the palate with a rich crispness that the cognoscenti would think was French.
There is a whisper of mineral and smoke in the background, and I kept thinking this is very French in structure but the fruit was more thrusting than most French wines.
The price is $10 a bottle, which is a bit cheaper than the 2009 Chateau Lafite, which is around $500 a bottle. With the money you save, get a great filet and enjoy the beauty of Argentina.
Roger Gentile is the owner of Gentile's, the Wine Sellers – www.gentiles.com – and the author of two books on wine.