Los Cardos, Malbec, 2004

From the bottle, this Malbec is created from grapes grown 1,000 meters above sea level in the Mendoza region of Argentina (quite possibly the best place in the world for Malbec). It is 13.5% alcohol by volume.

Where did I find it: Coscto

What did I pair it with: N/A

Appearance: Deep purple with flashes of crimson.

Smell: Barnyard, coffee, a hint of raspberries and raisins.

Palate Entry: It starts a bit bitter and tart...a bit pungent.
Mid Palate: Sour berries and bitter coffee.
Finish: The finish is a bit sharp, but is short.

Price: $6.00
Quality rating: 80/100
Value rating: 48.33/60

Takeaway: This wine was a bit better when it was first released; it hasn’t fallen apart, but is probably in a ‘tweener stage where the wine temporarily becomes somewhat bland and unbalanced. It will probably still be a little hot a year from now (note the raisin smell), but should be softer and more rounded. In the meantime, if you happen to open a bottle, have it with something buttery, to cut through the bitterness…overall, this one isn’t as good as previous years, but is still a drinkable bargain at $6.