The golden leaves that adorned the birch tree in our backyard now mostly cover the landscaping beneath it creating an undulating, golden carpet. Cool, damp mornings give way to mild afternoons putting me in the mood for red wine and heartier meals to accompany them. Today’s Cellar Note includes three red wines, which we received as tasting samples, and three […]
If ever I have heard a story of two wine lovers who made their dream come true, it’s that of Karen and John Troisi and their Jean Edwards Cellars. We recently sat down with the busy couple behind Jean Edward Cellars at their new tasting room along Sonoma’s Vine Alley. We talked Cabernet Sauvignon, winemaking and their love of dogs […]
As we become more serious about wine we find that it has become closely attached to the places we visit, the people we meet and meals we enjoy. Malbec is one of those wines for which we have particularly enjoyable memories. We were reminded of that close connection this weekend when we prepared a meal to enjoy with two bottles […]
It wasn’t until I began to take wine seriously that I became interested in the story behind a bottle of wine. My first interest was the variety and then, with a bit of experience, I began to consider style. The story of the winery came much later, after I began to grapple with wine regions. I think it was simply […]
Torrontés and Malbec are Argentina’s best-known wine grape varieties, at least to those of us that are the focus Argentina’s export market. Of the two varieties, Malbec is definitely better known, but Torrontés is perhaps more distinctive. I remember my first taste of Torrontés years ago, I was floored by the floral aromas and flavors. Malbec, which originated in France, […]
As much as I enjoy oven-roasted beef, pork or chicken, there is no substitute for outdoor grilling in terms of flavor. With the weather improving quickly it’s time to fire up the grill and begin to think about the wines to pair with your outdoor meals. This trio of Malbec (received as tasting samples) produced by Trivento in Argentina cry […]
I have to say, after tasting this range of wines from Bodegas Salentein, I’m developing a affection for Argentinian wine, at least for those made by Salentein. This is the second collection of wines we’ve tasted (their Killka wines were the first), and we have one more group after this. With each group of wines we have gained an appreciation for the style and quality of the wines produced by Bodegas Salentein.
Bodegas Salentein is located in the upper elevations of Valle de Uco, Mendoza in Argentina. The goal of the winemaking team is to produce wines that reflect the high-altitude terroir of the Uco Valley. The Killka collection of wines is named for the Killka Gallery, home to a collection of Argentinean artwork, which graces the labels of this collection of wines.
If you are a casual wine drinker, or new to wine, you may associate Malbec with Argentina – and with good reason. More Malbec is produced in Argentina than anywhere else in the world today. Argentinian Malbec is fruity, easy to like and relatively inexpensive. And it’s widely available. But, dating back at least to the Middle Ages wine has been made from Malbec along the Lot River in southwest France near the village of Cahors. This Malbec is not so well known, and that’s a shame.
We recently tasted two Argentinian wines that are new to the U.S. market. Decopas Sauvignon Blanc and Malbec are perfect for dinner, for a party or a picnic. We received these wines as samples and were impressed with their freshness, pleasant flavors and affordability.
We enjoy wine, food and travel. Pull That Cork is a chronicle of our wine adventures, the food and wine pairings we create and our travels which are increasingly organized around wine.