Whenever I come across a good value for money wine, I can’t wait to talk about it. Recently I got a chance to discover this great Argentinian wine, the Malbec 2004 Terrazas de Los Andes, at a friend’s house.
It was ripe, juicy and had a pleasant jamminess, which made it delicious to drink. With notes of coffee, tobacco, caramel, vanilla and sweet spices, the wine had a smooth velvety finish and went rather well with the Indian food especially red meat.
What is Malbec? Malbec is the rising star of the wine industry in South America and most of us associate it mainly with Argentina. However, its birth place is Bordeaux in France. This grape did not do well in its place of origin and became less popular after 1956, when a severe frost wiped out a significant portion of the crop. Now, the French plantations of Malbec are mostly found in Cahors in south west France.
In Argentina, Malbec is the most widely planted grape variety and is celebrated as a “national varietal”. The wines from here are softer and less tannic than the wines of Cahors which are little tart and slightly bitter. The Argentinian Malbec is characterized by its deep colour, intense fruity flavours and a velvety texture.
The Malbec 2004 Terrazas de Los Andes had all these qualities. It is a wine well suited for the Indian palate, is reasonably priced and easily available in India. In fact it is a great alternative to the higher priced Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Terrazas, incidentally, is owned by the famous French Champagne house Moet&Chandon.
– Lavina Kharkwal