Jeff’s Corner 6-15-17

Howdy all y’all out there,

Last Saturday afternoon, we sadly said goodbye to our delightful 2015 Rose of Sangiovese, and gladly said hello to our new 2016 Rose of Malbec.  As I like to say, “it’s a real beauty”.  Our guests love it, and sales are brisk.  We didn’t produce much, so if you like it grab some when you can; it won’t be around long.

Malbec is a new varietal in our portfolio, so I thought it would be fun to take a brief look at its origins.  A French grape, it is found mostly in the Bordeaux, Loire, and Cohors regions.

It has always been a subordinate blending grape in Bordeaux and the Loire Valley, and is much less prevalent in Bordeaux since 1956 when a hard freeze killed about 75% of the plantings.  In Cohors (southeast of Bordeaux) it is the dominant varietal, and is blended with smaller amounts of Tannat and Merlot.

In the mid 19th century it was taken to Argentina from Bordeaux via Chile, where it has found huge success, especially in the Mendoza region.  Malbec produces rich, dark wines with a rustic earthiness and solid structure.

Now, let’s take a peek at our ’16 Rose of Malbec.  It’s already made a couple of guest appearances, one at our Tank Tasting Party and another as a pairing with Chef Ross Burtwell’s (of Cabernet Grill fame) Marburger Orchard Strawberry Guava Gazpacho.

The color is a delicate pale salmon with a brilliant rim.  Modest alcohol (11.1% by volume), a tiny kiss of sweetness (.2% residual sugar), and lots of bright red fruit make this a perfect summer wine for afternoon gatherings or just hanging out on the porch or by the pool.

It is 100% Malbec from the Sprayberry Vineyards near Midland, and shows captivating floral aromas of pink carnations and cherry blossoms mingling with pear, cantaloupe, and honeydew.  The palate shows high acidity that is well integrated with the fruit to create a refreshing finish that leaves us reaching for our glass just minutes after our last sip.

Serving temperature is important for this wine.  Too cold and the acid hides the delightful fruitiness, and too warm it becomes flabby and it doesn’t transition to the back of our palate.  Whatever temp you like is best, but I’d recommend it between 45 and 55 degrees.

Let’s try this lovely wine with a large avocado stuffed with a jumbo lump crab salad in a light citrus vinaigrette.

Later, all y’all…