Review: Domaine Bousquet Malbec

When you shop for food and beverages, do you seek out organic products? I do, sometimes but not always. For me, it’s about striking a balance between quality and cost. If cost wasn’t a consideration, I would buy organic much more often.

One of the reasons I became a fan of wines from Domaine Bousquet is that they’ve made the choice easy. Simply put, when I buy wines from Domaine Bousquet, I get organic products without paying extra for it. Don’t believe me? Well… this Malbec, made from organically grown grapes, has a suggested retail price of only $13! And I believe the price hasn’t changed in years. No inflation here!

This wine comes from the “varietal” series of the Domaine Bousquet portfolio. They produce wine under a few different lines or series, which have different price points. The varietal series is considered entry-level, meaning it sells for a lower price point than other wines in their portfolio. Nonetheless, it’s still organic and still delicious.

To be clear, this wine is labeled as “made with organic grapes” rather than as organic wine. That has to do with the wine production process, which often includes the addition of sulfites that help preserve the wine but are not allowed in wine labeled as “organic wine.” Some other wines produced by Domaine Bousquet do not have added sulfites and are labeled as organic wine, such as their Virgen Malbec, if that’s what you’re seeking. Personally, I’m not terribly concerned about sulfites so this is a great option for me.

Tasting Notes

The nose offers the classic Malbec aroma of black cherry along with blackberry and spice fragrances, such as black pepper and cedar. On the palate it delivers rich, tart blackberry up front with black cherry, dark chocolate and slightly bitter / tannic Earl Grey tea flavors on the mid palate. The acidity is vibrant and the mouthfeel is smooth. It finishes long, with dark fruit, tannin and spice flavors.

Wine: Domaine Bousquet Malbec
Varieties: 100% Malbec
Vintage: 2022
Alcohol: 14%
Rating: 90
Average price: $13
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.