malbec review – THE DUDE OF FOOD

MALBEC Review – Espuela del Gaucho Reserve 2012

This tasty limited edition Malbec was also grown and bottled in the Mendoza region of Argentina and is imported by WX Imports, Novato, CA

Do Not Confuse with the 2011 which wasn’t good.

www.espueladelgaucho.com

This is another fine Malbec that is now on my Top 5 Malbec list. Not as good as my favorite, Bodega de ELENA, but gets close. This winning wine is a 2012, so maybe could use a year to age, but is a very good selection.

The Espuela del Gaucho has unique, slow running, heavy legs. It carries a lighter body, that lands gently on the tongue, joyfully leaving hints of mixed berries grown in the fresh Andes air and then drifts away.

This is another quality Malbec from Argentina, that any California cab or Merlot drinker will enjoy for under $12.

Malbec – TERRAZAS de los Andes 2010

Another fine wine from the Mendoza region nestled in Argentina.

TERRAZAS de los Andes Reserva Malbec 2010

Produced and bottled by Terrazas de los Andes, Argentina.

Selected grapes of the Mendoza region terraces, found a little more than 1,000 meters above sea level, make their way into this wine. The selectivity of this wine is probably why it is imported by the Moet Hennessy company.

Personally, this wine is almost as good as my still favorite Malbec, Bodega de ELENA. The Terrazas is kind of similar to the Elena, but I found it to be a touch lighter in body and flavor when landing on the tongue. The Terrazas is flowery and fruity. Perhaps the Terrazas could be imagined as a Merlot version of the Elena if it were imagined as a Cabernet style of the same producer.

The Terrazas is a good wine, reasonably priced and will be gone before the other bottles that folks brought to the party.

For comments or contact with the Dude of Food, please visit me at

Yelp as Dude Food G.

Red Rock Malbec Reserve 2010

Grown and bottled by Red Rock winery Healdsburg, CA

This Malbec is grown here in California, not Argentina.

The flavor of this reserve wine lacks the depth of the Bodega de ELENA Malbec, which is my current favorite. It is not a bad wine, but if looking for a reasonably priced California red, I’d go Murphy-Goode Cabernet.