A fabulous representation of Malbec at a fantastic price!
Malbec from the Lujan de Coyo region of Mendoza, Argentina. Fermented in stainless steel and then aged for 6 months in a combination of new and used French oak.
This review is brought to you by 90 Plus Cellars.
The 90 Plus Cellars Lot 23 Old Vine Malbec has an SRP of $12.79 but is available for as low as $11.
Story: If you've come to expect excellent Malbec from Argentina and great value from us then Lot 23 totally over delivers. The grapes for this wine were harvested from old vines situated on expansive vineyards located in Mendoza, the world's hot spot for sumptuous Malbec. After fermentation the wine is aged for 6 months in French oak before release.
Taste: Round and plump with a mild texture, this wine boasts exquisite aromas of black berry, ripe plum and cherry. In the finish, more dark fruit flavors and hints of vanilla emerge to leave an elegant and lasting impression. Try it out with char-grilled beef skewers with red peppers, onions and zucchini or an assortment of aged cheeses and freshly baked bread.
14.5% Alcohol
It was a dark and stormy night...but the wine was mysterious and inviting, brooding even, with rich, succulent, dark fruit and dense, powerful spice. OK, enough of the purple prose, but it actually was a dark and stormy night when I drank this wine (and the wine is dark purple). I was planning on popping open a rosé since it was about 90 degrees and humid, but then a storm front came in, the temperature dropped and Malbec seemed like a much better choice. Plus, I had been looking forward to trying a recent vintage of this wine, having it enjoyed it all the way back to the 2010.
The 2017 90 Plus Cellars Lot 23 Old Vine Malbec begins with typical Malbec aromas of blackberry and plum as well as baking spice and a little cinnamon. All these aromas combine to make a very nice bouquet that is more engaging than your typical Malbec. The wine tastes quite good with dark fruit and dense spice. It has lots of oaky overtones, but there's plenty of fruit as well. It ends with a dry, long, spicy finish. Overall quite a tasty wine. Those oaky overtones decrease as it gets more air so it may have actually been even a little better on day 2.
Highly recommended, this one easily gets a spot on our list of The Best Malbec Under $20!
