Behind the Cork™ - Catena Malbec

2019 Catena Malbec ($15)

World Malbec Day is coming up on Sunday, April 17th, an annual holiday that commemorates the founding of the first agricultural school in Argentina in 1853, which was instrumental in the early cultivation of Malbec in the South American nation. And, here’s a great way to celebrate!

This celebration features the 2019 Catena Malbec and a great book all about Malbec.

The wine is from high-altitude vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina in the foothills of the Andes Mountains.

The book ($24.49 on Amazon) is fun and informative. It is written by Laura Catena and Bodega Catena's oenologist Alejandro Vigil. It tells the story of Malbec, its near extinction, rebirth and in a joyful end, the story of how a plant has elevated the lives of millions of people for over 2,000 years.

This Catena Malbec is produced from 100% Malbec that goes through cold maceration for five days to and then is fermented with wild yeast for 12 days with a post-fermentation maceration of 19-22 days. It then spends 12 months in barrels that are of first, second and third use.

This wine is medium purple in color with aroma of black berry, black cherry, spice and cocoa. On the palate it has nice fruit flavors, medium tannin and medium acidity along with the characteristic easy finish of a Malbec.

At $15 this is a wonderful wine that is fully deserving of being a Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Look for this one and raise a glass for World Malbec Day on April 17th. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Catena winery (via Nonni Strategic Marketing)

Behind the Cork™ - Alavida Malbec

2021 Alavida Malbec ($19)

World Malbec Day is coming up on Sunday, April 17th, an annual holiday that commemorates the founding of the first agricultural school in Argentina in 1853, which was instrumental in the early cultivation of Malbec in the South American nation. And, here’s a great way to celebrate!

This Alavida Malbec is USDA-certified organic and kosher. It’s also vegan, gluten-free and Ecocert-approved. And, it tastes great!

The name Alavida is composed from the Spanish “to life” which is ‘a la vida.’

The grapes for Alavida are grown above 4000 feet in the Andean foothills of the Uco Valley in Argentina. There, daily temperature swings can be up to 60 F resulting in more natural sugar from the hot days and more acidity from the cold nights - a great recipe for wine making!

The winemaking process for Alavida is almost identical to that used in making a non-kosher wine, with two exceptions. Ingredients such as yeast must be kosher, and the wine must be physically made by a sabbath-observant Jewish team under the supervision of a rabbi. For Alavida that means double the number of people involved: a Jewish team member to handle grapes and wine, paired with a home team member standing alongside and directing. For Alavida, that entailed five duos! Winemaker Rodrigo Serrano gave the work orders; his Jewish counterparts executed them.

This Alavida Malbec is medium purple in color with aromas of red fruit, spices, herbal notes and buttery-oak. On the palate have flavors of red fruits and red raspberry, medium tannin, medium-low acidity, some earthiness and hints of the oak on the finish.

Alavida Organic Kosher Malbec is a wonderful wine that is fully deserving of being a Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Look for this one and raise a glass for World Malbec Day on April 17th. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Origins Organic Imports and Domaine Bousquet (via Creative Palate Communications)

Behind the Cork™ - Trivento Reserve Malbec

2020 Trivento Reserve Malbec ($11)

World Malbec Day is coming up on Sunday, April 17th, an annual holiday that commemorates the founding of the first agricultural school in Argentina in 1853, which was instrumental in the early cultivation of Malbec in the South American nation. And, here’s a great way to celebrate!

This Trivento Reserve Malbec is from Mendoza’s Bodega Trivento which is tucked away in the towering Andes Mountains of Argentina

The team at Trivento—which means “three winds” in Spanish— sources fruit for the Reserve Malbec from a deliberate mix of new and old vines from two renowned sub-regions in Mendoza: Luján de Cuyo to the north and Valle de Uco to the south.

In Argentina, the term ‘Reserva’ is given to all red wines that have been aged in oak barrels for at least one year.

This Trivento Reserve Malbec is produced from 100% Malbec grapes that are de-stemmed and crushed. Maceration occurs prior to a 20-day fermentation in stainless steel tanks. It then undergoes natural malolactic fermentation before 20% of the wine is aged in French and American oak for six months.

This Trivento Reserve Malbec is deep purple in color with aromas of black cherry and plum. On the palate it has soft tannin, moderate acidity, vanilla and caramel flavors from the oak, and a light finish.

At $11 this is a wonderful wine that is fully deserving of being a Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Look for this one and raise a glass for World Malbec Day on April 17th. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Trivento (via Jarvis Communications)

Behind the Cork™ - Wines of TILIA (Part 1)

IMG_4532.jpeg

Wines of TILIA from Argentina

Tilia’s rural origins in Mendoza Argentina connect them deeply to the land and to their community. As the first Argentine wine to carry the Bodegas de Argentina Certified Sustainable Seal, the TILIA label illustrates their journey toward sustainable viticulture in Argentina. The Tilia or Tilo tree, their wine label’s namesake, produces leaves that are made into a calming tea which is traditionally drunk after lunch or dinner, to facilitate an afternoon siesta or bedtime.

The TILIA wines come from three growing regions in Argentina:

  • The Uco Valley is considered to be one of the premiere grape-growing regions in Mendoza. Located 100 miles due south from Mendoza city, its elevation reaches between 3,000-5,000 feet.

  • The Eastern Region is one of the oldest and most traditional viticultural regions in Mendoza. Located 50 miles to the southeast of the city of Mendoza, its reaches 1,950-2,150 feet.

  • The Central Region of Mendoza is home to the oldest high-quality vineyards. It is also a desert irrigated by the Mendoza River. Located 12 miles due south from Mendoza city, its elevation reaches 2,600-3,700 feet.

IMG_4534.jpeg

2020 Bonarda - The TILIA Bonarda (Also known as Charbono) is fermented for 10 days with maceration of 15 days in stainless steel tanks. It then spends six months in French Oak. It is intense violet in color. On the nose it has dark fruit and spice aromas. On the palate, it has a sweet entry followed by soft tannins and nice acidity. It finishes with basil and blueberry flavors that linger nicely.





IMG_4535.jpeg

2020 Malbec-Syrah - This is a blend of 55% Malbec and 45% Syrah. It is fermented for 12 days with maceration of 15 days in stainless steel tanks. It is then aged six months in French oak. The color of this wine is intense violet. It has a complex nose of red and dark fruit with subtle spice and leather hints. On the palate it is well-structured with jam, leather and meaty flavors. It finishes long with soft tannins.

IMG_4536.jpeg

2020 Torrontés - This TILIA Torrontés is fermented for 10 days with maceration of 15 days in stainless steel tanks before spending six months in French Oak. It is pale yellow in color with light greenish hues. On the nose it exhibits aromas of passion fruit, citrus and freshly cut grass. On the palate, this wine is bright and fresh with concentrated vegetal and tropical flavors. It has a long and persistent finish.

It is their hope that TILIA becomes synonymous with sustainable living and inspires a movement among wine drinkers and producers are over the world.

Next week Behind the Cork™ will feature TILIA’s Chardonnay, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Samples Provided by Nonni Strategic Marketing LLC