100% Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina.
SRP of $18 and available for as low as $12. Sample received courtesy Pasternak Wine Imports for review purposes.
From the bottle:
"The alliance of two great pioneers - Nicolas Catena and Domaines Baron de Rothschild (Lafite) - inspired this truly magnificent wine. Aruma is a celebration of the grape variety that has come to symbolize the Argentine vineyard. This 100% Malbec wine is produced from grapes at carefully selected high altitude terroirs in the Mendoza region. This intricacy adds balance, elegance and depth to the wine - the secret of great Malbecs.Today's wine comes from a partnership between some rather big names in the wine industry, Rothschild and Catena. I went into this one with an open mind and tried not to raise my expectations based on the names involved. In fact, if anything I was wary of what I might find here as these type of cooperative efforts don't always seem to work out as planned. So let's see how this one tastes...
14.5% Alcohol."
The 2010 Bodegas Caro Aruma Malbec Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite)/Nicolas Catena begins with strong and pleasant violet aromas when first opened and then turn into smoky, gamy notes plus some blackberry and spice. The more time it has to breath, the more the fruit comes out. It makes for quite an interesting evolution of the aromas on this wine. The wine tastes of dark fruit and has earthy tannins and a little spice. A bit of the smoky and gaminess from the nose carries over as well. The dry finish has a little spice and lingering cocoa notes. Pretty good by itself, but would be really good with a steak. This wine definitely needs lots of air to fully open up and was at its best on day 2.
See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.
Taste Rating: 7 Cost Rating: 7
Overall Rating: 7.0
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