Question Three - Malbec

[Waiters Friend]

G'day

I'm possibly pre-empting Michael McNally (sorry if I am stealing your thunder), but I thought it was the next logical 'what if' grape.

It grows in the Clare Valley, and is an integral component of many Wendouree wines, for a start. However, my recent trip to the Clare only revealed it to be a minor Rose` component, so maybe they've decided Wendouree has it all sown up.

I hope not. I'm a fan of Malbec as a minority component, and from Clare, I have had both Cabernet and Shiraz dominant blends with Malbec playing a vital supporting role.

Langhorne Creek also uses the variety to effect, and I like Bleasdale's straight Malbec for something different (and at around $11, VFM).

In WA, I was surprised recently at the cellar door of a winery I've been buying Chardonnay from for years (Kosovich) when they offered me a fabulous 2007 Reserve Cabernet Malbec (at reserve prices, unfortunately, but I bought a couple). Manjimup fruit.

Poor straight Malbecs apparently have descriptors like 'boiled cabbage'. Please point me in the opposite direction.

Cheers

Allan

[Julio G]

Woodlands are massive proponents of Malbec and use it in almost all of their flagship Cabs. Their Reserve de la Cave Malbec is seriously good but very, very limited production.

[Mahmoud Ali]

Try some Argentinian Malbecs, no "boiled cabbage" there. In fact the Chileans are joining the Malbec brigades. I recall seeing Concha y Toro's Casillero del Diablo range in Sydney a few years back and they might have an inexpensive Malbec you might try.

Cheers.............Mahmoud

[Peter NZ]

Topical at the moment ... Esk Valley The Terraces typically (& unusually for a HB wine) has 40% + Malbec. Not unusual in HB to see small percentages blended with Merlot, but there's very few straight Malbecs produced in NZ. Villa Maria did an excellent reserve one a few years ('05) ago.

Cheers
Peter

[Craig(NZ)]

Mills Reef also do/did one in the elspeth range which was probably the best straight nz malbec easily available in nz?

[Rawshack]

Dans do an Argentinean Malbec (Santa Julia???) that, for $10, is pretty good. I remember Mattison getting all frothy about it as well

[Gary W]

Ferngrove is good.
GW

[Rawshack]

Ferngrove is good.
GW

Have a bottle or two in the cellar... drink up or let it stay there (it's an 04/05 iirc)

[Sean O'Sullivan]

deleted

[griff]

Does anyone make a sparkling malbec?

Tatachilla does/did. I haven't seen it around of late.

cheers

Carl

[Sean O'Sullivan]

deleted

[griff]

Carl, I had a look on their website thinking that and there's no mention of it??

Must have deleted it from the line-up. Looks like all the wine labels have changed as well. I wonder how they are getting on?

cheers

Carl

[Julio G]

Also I really enjoyed a couple bottles of 05 Houghton Crofters, which were fantastic drinking - and one of those wines I found hard to keep my hands off, so I don't have any in the cellar and I should have and wish I did…

Sean, I bought half a dozen of these on spec as it sounded right up my alley as described by a few commentators I follow that seem to appreciate similar styles to me. When did you have your last one and how long do you think it will go?

They have changed the name and upped the price on this wine... can't recall the new name off the top of my head.

[Sean O'Sullivan]

deleted

[jafa]

Topical at the moment ... Esk Valley The Terraces typically (& unusually for a HB wine) has 40% + Malbec. Not unusual in HB to see small percentages blended with Merlot, but there's very few straight Malbecs produced in NZ. Villa Maria did an excellent reserve one a few years ('05) ago. Cheers Peter

I've found quite a few around, mind I'm looking, I really enjoy a good malbec.
Pask did a declaration malbec that was crap, 05 I think.
Most Villa Maria merlot wines have a lick of malbec for colour but also for the fruit and tannins its adds.
One of my faves was Collards Shanty Block but the doors have closed so that's a gonner. Hoarding a couple of bottles. Far as know, the vines haven't been pulled, so I wonder where that fruit is going now days. May need to investigate; Cooper's Creek? West Brook?
Stonyridge have Lunar Negra, Clearview Two Pinnacles, there's a Mills Reef 'Elspeth' malbec, and I think, a reserve as well.
Crossroads Talisman also had, I thought, a lump of malbec in the mix. Haven't tasted recent releases however.

cheers jafa.