Winemaker Notes
Rich notes of toasted oak and vanilla kiss your nose as you’re treated to delightful hints of tart cherries and spiced cola. A luxury best enjoyed in sweet company.
Professional Ratings
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: Malbec has taken a long journey, and it is still traveling. The Fableist Malbec 2018 shows us that the Central Coast of California can compete well against France and Argentina is bringing the best out of this grape variety. TASTING NOTES: This is all about black fruit goodness. Its focused aromas and flavors of ripe fruit and dust make it an excellent pair choice with grilled beef. (Tasted: December 5, 2019, 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.
The largest and perhaps most varied of California’s wine-growing regions, the Central Coast produces a good majority of the state's wine. This vast California wine district stretches from San Francisco all the way to Santa Barbara along the coast, and reaches inland nearly all the way to the Central Valley.
Encompassing an extremely diverse array of climates, soil types and wine styles, it contains many smaller sub-AVAs, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Paso Robles, Edna Valley, Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Valley.
While the Central Coast California wine region could probably support almost any major grape varietiy, it is famous for a few Central Coast reds and whites. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel are among the major ones. The Central Coast is home to many of the state's small, artisanal wineries crafting unique, high-quality wines, as well as larger producers also making exceptional wines.