After preparing such a wonderful hamburger steak for dinner, I wanted a nice wine to compliment the flavors of my burger. Sure I could have pulled a trusty merlot out of my cellar, but I wanted something different.

A few weeks ago I came across a 2008 Malbec from Argentina by Gascon Winery. I was intrigued. Sure I judged the label as the design is nicely done. Being a designer I notice these things first…like a shoe salesman stares at your feet.

This wine does not disappoint! …and here is why! Can you tell I’m excited to tell you?

Once you pour this Malbec you’ll notice the rich color. Without reading the label you’ll see wonderful colors of plum and blueberry. Swirl you glass a bit. Inhale…mmmm…smell it? Yes you do. Now take a taste. Savor it. Don’t just swallow! Who in the hell just swallows or gulps wine?

From the first taste, your palate will be introduced to hints of blackcherry, plum, blueberry and blackberry all in harmony. Oh! What’s that? Yes, that is the slight hint of mocha on the backside as you swallow. A nice smooth finish to this Malbec. It gets better when paired with a beautiful meal. Gascon recommends red measts, wild game and even enjoy it with a nice chocolate dessert. May I suggest a moist slice of chocolate cake? Go ahead you know you want too.

Don’t be afraid to try a different wine than you are use too. Live life on the edge. Oh and remember, drink responsible. I want you around to read my next post!

Enjoy!

Here are the winemaker notes from their web site. I’m sure they won’t mind, since I am giving this wine high marks and a place in my cellar!

Winemaker Notes

The 2008 growing season in Mendoza began with a warmer than usual Spring, but temperatures dropped during flowering. The cooler weather conditions resulted in smaller berry set than usual naturally decreasing the yield on Malbec. The exceptionally dry summer, plus the low amount of fruit per plant, caused the physiological ripening of sugars to accelerate but the phenological ripening of polyphenols to slow down. Consequently, veraison occurred 7 – 10 days later than normal in most areas.

In late January, some precipitation moved in which lowered temperatures and brought the physiological and phenological ripening processes back into synchronization.

The month of February saw rather unstable weather throughout the region, with some isolated thunder and hail storms. The isolated nature of the precipitation meant that each vineyard received several light to medium rains throughout the month. The extremely low yields, combined with well drained soils, meant that there were very few growing issues in the vineyards.

March did not receive as much precipitation as February but did experience a consistent drop in temperatures. As the grapes entered into the last month of ripening, the conditions were excellent for an outstanding vintage.

Both February and March saw lower than normal temperatures, allowing for even ripening and longer hang times. The fruit also maintained excellent levels of natural acidity, lending freshness and vibrancy to the grapes.

The month of April was dry and very cool. The grapes continued to develop very nicely and had exceptional levels of concentration and complexity during harvest. By the second week of April, a completely abnormal frost accelerated the leaf falling of the plants, allowing the last vineyards of the Uco Valley in Mendozato concentrate even more before harvest.

The grapes were harvested by hand in the early morning hours, then underwent cold maceration for four days at temperatures not exceeding 10°C (50°F) to achieve optimum extraction of the deep purple, violet berries. Maceration prior to fermentation also aids in the development of black fruit varietal aromas in the finished wine. To preserve the fruit flavors, primary fermentation occurred at around 28°C (82°F).