Picajuan Peak (Argentina) Malbec 2000
Malbec is Argentina’s ace in the pack if it is to increase it’s popularity beyond the 1.5% share it has of the UK wine market. Sure, it does other varietals very well, with impressive Chardonnay, Torrontes and Viognier, as well as fine Merlot and Cabernet, but Argentinean Malbec is to my mind the best made anywhere in the world (and it is widely grown in France and elsewhere). This is a particularly inexpensive example, and though others might show a little more explosive fruitiness, they also weigh in at twice the price. Here we have a dark, intense purple wine with a wonderfully spice-dusted nose of black fruit and a hint of sweet, chocolaty darkness. On the palate it is grippy, with fine tannins, but a weight of supple, savoury dark fruits and a little creaminess to the body (this may have seen some Carbonic Maceration) before that shot of tannin bolsters the finish. Excellent for robust foods. Tesco 3.89.
