Cigar Box Old Vine Malbec 2018
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James
Suckling -
Wilfred
Wong
Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
Drink with grilled meat or salmon, or alone in your room with the door locked...you are the boss!
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
The new wood in this certainly gives it cigar-box character with chocolate, too. It’s medium-bodied with berries and soft tannins. It’s fun, if a little obvious.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Cigar Box Old Vine Hand Harvest Malbec satisfies the palate and then some. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers attractive and persistent aromas and flavors of black fruit, red currants, and dried earth. Grill some beef and invite this wine to the party. (Tasted: August 20, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
Celebrated for its bold flavors and supple texture, Malbec has enjoyed runaway success in Argentina since the late 20th century. The grape originated in Bordeaux, France, where it historically contributed color and tannin to blends. A French agronomist, who saw great potential for the variety in Mendoza’s hot, high-altitude landscape, brought Malbec to Argentina in 1868. Somm Secret—If you’re trying to please a crowd, Malbec is generally a safe bet with its combination of dense fruit and soft tannins.
By far the largest and best-known winemaking province in Argentina, Mendoza is responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. Set in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains, the climate is dry and continental, presenting relatively few challenges for viticulturists during the growing season. Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, is the source of some of the country’s finest wines.
For many wine lovers, Mendoza is practically synonymous with Malbec. Originally a Bordelaise variety brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s, here it found success and renown that it never knew in its homeland where a finicky climate gives mixed results. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir are all widely planted here as well (and sometimes even blended with each other or Malbec). Mendoza's main white varieties include Chardonnay, Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.