I picked up this particular Malbec on a whim one day.  I hadn’t seen it before and had never actually heard of it, but for some reason I decided to give it a shot, and I’m glad I did.

The grapes in the Gouguenheim Malbec were grown in El Vallo Escondido, in the Tupungato Valley, about 70km from the city of Mendoza.  This area is pretty much desert conditions, with 320 days of sun per year and water irrigated in from the Andes Mountains.

Wowee, there is quite some intensity on the nose here.  Coffee, walnut, black pepper, cherry and blackberry make for an interesting and enjoyable bouquet.  The palate is a nicely balanced chorus of fruit, spice and tannin.  Strong, somewhat jammy blackberry flavors are the first thing to hit you, followed by a black pepper spice with a touch of heat and mellowed out by some soft, black tea tannins.  The finish is relatively long and enjoyable.

Arguably, I’m a bit tardy with this review as you’re likely to find the 2008 vintage on the shelves rather than the 2006.  But if you do see a bottle or two of 2006, I’d suggest snatching them up.  And if I find some 2008 I’ll give that a shot too and let you know if it’s as good as this.

Wine: Gouguenheim
Variety: Malbec
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 89
Price: $11.99

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