Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec – It’s Good

Checking out if a top of the line wine from Bodega Trivento still lives up to its name. We review the latest vintage of the Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec.

100% Malbec from Vistalba, Las Compuertas, Agrelo y Perdriel, and Luján de Cuyo in Mendoza, Argentina. The wine is aged mostly in oak barrels for 12 months. It is also vegan friendly.

Sample submitted for review. The Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec has an SRP of $20 and is available for as low as $17. Imported by Eagle Peak Estates.

From the bottle:

Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec is crafted in vineyards over 100 years old in Luyan de Cuyo, the source of the finest and mot complex Malbec the world has to offer. Hand-selected grapes are aged for 12 months in oak barrels and developed into a vivid garnet red wine with lively fruit aromas and silky tannins to fill the palate with sensations.

14% Alcohol

As we’ve said many times before we’re not fans of using terms like “reserve” when there’s no agreed upon definition or standard (like there is in Spain). That said, for wineries that produce different levels of wines, these terms can be helpful for distinguishing quality levels. This is assuming, of course, that they are used correctly and are not just for marketing purposes.

Today’s wine ups the ante even more, adding in the “Golden” term. (What’s next, “Platinum Reserve”?) [Funnily enough, we originally wrote the preceding line in 2015 when we reviewed the 2012 vintage of this wine. Since that time Trader Joe’s have indeed introduced their “Platinum Reserve” (and “Diamond”) level of wines.]

Despite our reservations with the naming strategy, it actually does help to differentiate among Trivento’s many different wines with the Golden Reserve being a step up in price from their normal Reserve line. Let’s find out if it is also a step up in taste. When we last reviewed this wine (the 2020 vintage) we liked it but we noted it was lacking some depth (see that review all the way at the bottom of the page).

The 2022 Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec opens with pleasing aromas of plum, black cherry, some floral notes and oaky spice. It’s a good start.

The medium-bodied wine features similar flavors to the nose with some nice depth and complexity. (This wine has layers!) It also has good balance, plenty of juicy fruit and a smooth mouthfeel. This is definitely a step up from the 2020.

It ends dry, long and a bit grippy with lots of lingering spice. It was just as good on day 2.

This is a great example of Malbec and a very good vintage of this wine – they did exactly what we asked of the 2020! Highly Recommended.

Find more of our recommended Malbec as well as information about this popular variety here!

You may also want to check more of our favorite wines from Argentina here!

---

Review Summary

---

And here’s our previous review of the 2020 vintage:

The 2020 Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec opens with pleasing aromas of plum, black cherry, some floral notes and a bit of spice. It’s a good start.

The medium-bodied wine features similar flavors to the nose with a little black tea as well. It’s lacking some depth from what we would expect for a “Golden” Reserve but it’s still balanced and enjoyable.

It ends dry, long and lots of lingering spice and was slightly better on day 2.

It’s tasty, but not sure what all the fuss is about honestly, at this price, it just squeaks by with a recommended buy rating. I would have liked more depth and tannic structure.