Behind the Cork™ - Le Petit Verre Wines

Le Petit Verre Wines

From the Tupungato Valley of Argentina’s Uco Valley comes Le Petit Verre Wines. And, they are imported by Origins Organic which is run by Anne Bousquet of the Domaine Bousquet family winery in Argentina.

Roughly translated as “The Small Glass,” Le Petit Verre wines come in convenient 250 ml cans (1/3 of a bottle) for easy storage and carrying where ever you chose to go.

The grapes for both of these wines are 100% certified organic from Tupungato Valley, a high-altitude sub-zone of Mendoza’s Uco Valley that you may already know for producing great wines, especially Malbec.

Le Petit Verre Bubbly Rosé ($13 for a 4-pack)

This wonderful bubbly is produced from 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Syrah and 10% Viognier. It has a beautiful salmon color, is lightly bubbly with delicious vibrant fruit flavors, good acidity and a refreshing finish.

Le Petit Verre Malbec ($13 for a 4-pack)

Argentina’s Uco valley is famous for its Malbec and this one is produced from 100% Malbec. It’s medium-purple in color, has nice black fruit aromas that follow right into the flavors of this wine with moderate tannin, and a classic tart cherry flavor finish.

Don’t let the can fool you, both the Bubbly Rosé and Malbec are serious wines that can be enjoyed anytime. These wines, made from organic grapes, are a great value and are widely available which makes them a great fit as the Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Look for these and enjoy! 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 Origins Organic Imports (via Creative Palate Communications)

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™ - Hess Lion Tamer Cabernet Sauvignon

Hess Lion Tamer Cab.jpeg

2017 Hess Collection Lion Tamer Cabernet Sauvignon ($60)

This Hess Lion Tamer Cabernet Sauvignon is from Napa Valley. It a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petite Sirah and 8% Malbec. It’s aged in 33% New French and American oak barrels for 20 months.

The name Lion Tamer has become their nickname for Malbec because they use this grape as a blending variety to tame powerful tannins. They say “This Cabernet Sauvignon brings all the roar of Napa Valley and when blended with a touch of Malbec, produces a big, lush wine that finishes with smooth and tamed round tannins.”

Winemaker Dave Guffy states “Lion Tamer Cabernet Sauvignon is plush in texture with heady aromas of blackberries, black cherries and notes of freshly ground coffee. We add a touch of Malbec to the blend to develop a softness in the tannins, making this a wonderfully smooth and seamless wine. These mouthwatering tannins surround the palate, framing layered elements of bright blueberry, toasty oak and deliciously rich mocha. I find this vintage of Lion Tamer Cabernet is perfectly balanced, with well-integrated vanilla oak notes presenting on the lengthy, elegant finish.”

I found this Lion Tamer Cab to have a big, full-bodied profile with great chocolate and vanilla notes from the oak aging. The tannins were firm but not over-powering and finished smooth with lingering flavor.

This is an exceptional Cab from Napa. If you are looking for a special wine for a special occasion, this one’s for you! Cheers!

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

Sample Provided by Donna White, Donna White Communications