Wine of the week: A budget saavy malbec

Malbec is often a budget-savvy alternative to cabernet sauvignon and syrah, but it has more to offer than cost savings. Argentine malbecs, with their full-throttle fruit and smoky finish, are knockout.

Our wine-of-the-week winner is the Alamos 2012 Seleccion Mendoza, Argentina Malbec at $20. It’s a tasty, layered red with notes of dark berry, plum, violet, leather and cracked black pepper. What makes this malbec a standout is its generous fruit, coupled with a kick of spice.

“We aim to create a malbec that is rich and expressive, with a very fruit- forward palate, which makes it quite compatible with a variety of foods,” said Alamos winemaker Felipe Stahlschmidt, who joined the company in 2007.

What the uninitiated might not know about this malbec is that it’s produced from fruit grown in steep mountain terrain.

“It’s grown in Mendoza at very high elevations, where intense sunlight enhances the aromas and flavors as they ripen,” Stahlschmidt said. “The region’s cool evening temperatures extend the growing season, and the pure mountain snowmelt from the Andes mountains naturally irrigates the vines. Strong winds prompt the malbec grapes here to develop thicker skins, which translates into a much higher concentration of flavor. This unique combination of elevation, climate and sun exposure gives malbec wines rich, layered aromas and flavors.”

While malbec is a full-bodied red produced in Argentina, in southwest France it’s used widely as a blending varietal for producing Bordeaux. The French version of malbec is weighted to flavors of leather, tart currant and black plum, and it can be tannic. The Argentine malbec, in contrast, is typically fruit-forward. It has notes of black cherry, blackberry and plum, with nuanced flavors of leather, cocoa and sweet tobacco.

“This style of malbec is indicative of our distinct corner of the world,” Stahlschmidt said. “I have definitely seen a trend toward single-varietal malbec wines (in the past decade). It’s no longer just a blending grape. Malbec has really come into its own in Argentina.”

Wine writer Peg Melnik can be reached at 521-5310 or peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com.

Wine of the Week: Scouting for the tastiest reds

Wine writer Peg Melnik had a blind tasting this week of a range of reds with malbec, merlot and cabernet franc in the mix. Our wine-of-the-week winner is the Alamos, 2012 Seleccion Mendoza, Argentina Malbec at $20. This import delivers with concentrated fruit, and tasty notes of leather and spice.

TOP PICK

Alamos, 2012 Seleccion Mendoza, Argentina Malbec, 13.9 percent alcohol, $20. ???

1/2 A tasty malbec with layered flavors. Notes of dark berry, plum, violet, leather and cracked black pepper. Round texture. Its rich fruit and dose of spice gives it an edge.

Other impressive wines

Arrowood, 2010 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5 percent, $35. ????

A cabernet with great bones (structure) and ripe fruit. What makes this impressive is its concentration of fruit -- blackberry and black raspberry. Notes of herbs and spice in the mix. Lush texture.

Matanzas Creek Winery, 2011 Sonoma County Merlot, 14.5 percent, $28. ???

1/2 A seamless merlot with a great melding of flavors. Notes of black cherry fruit, herbs and spice. Bright acid. Nice length. Solid.

Dutton-Goldfield, 2012 Dutton Ranch, Freestone Hill Vineyard, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, 13.5 percent, $72. ????

A lively pinot noir with layered flavors. What sets it apart is its depth of flavor. Notes of blackberry, plum, cinnamon and black pepper. Crisp acidity.

Flora Spring’s Ghost Winery, Napa Valley Cabernet Franc, 14.5 percent, $50. ????

A cab franc with aromas and flavors of blueberry, blackberry, cassis, herbs and spice. What gives this an edge is its range of flavors. It also has bright acid and nice length. Impressive.

McManis Vineyards, 2013 Lodi California Zinfandel, 13.5 percent, $10. ???

1/2 A bright, approachable zin with notes of strawberry, red currant, cinnamon and cracked black pepper. This uncomplicated zin wins you over with its bright, tangy fruit and its spicy finish.