Malbec has had an unfair, or at least a one-dimensional, press in recent years and I have been as much to blame for that as any other wine scribe. The common, and understandable, perception is that in its adopted home of Argentina it makes rugged wines that rely on strength and structure to make an impression, hewn as it were from the same block as some of her more robust rugby forwards. That is the stereotype and like all stereotypes it has only a passing acquaintance with the truth.

This was brought home to me politely but insistently by Alberto Arizu in Dublin recently. Arizu wears two hats: that of Commercial Director of Bodega Luigi Bosca, which is owned by his family, and that of President of Wines of Argentina, the promotional body for Argentinean wines. He speaks persuasively about Malbec, pointing out that it is not all hearty and dense, and his own Luigi Bosca 2007 from the Vistalba vineyard helps to make the point for him. Coming from 70-year-old vines it carries its 14.3% alcohol easily. There is freshness, a lighter than expected texture and even a hint of sweetness. Dense and concentrated it is not. Arizu describes it as ‘friendly’.

Others in the Bosca range (imported into Ireland by Searsons) include the Gala III 2008, a Viognier/Chardonnay/Riesling blend in the proportions 50/40/10, which I am sure I would like a lot more if the Viognier and Riesling swapped places. I was much more taken with the Gala II 2007, also made from a trio of grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon (80)/Cabernet Franc (15)/Merlot (5). There is some savoury tingle here with perky tannins, not too much weight and pleasant length. What it needs is a plate of the wonderful black pudding that they have in Argentina. It is cooked on a barbeque and is more of a ‘pudding’ than our own sausage-like version here in Ireland. When handled properly it gets a nice crust on the outside with a lovely sloppy centre. Yum!
See:
www.searsons.co www.luigibosca.com.ar

Tags: Argentina, Malbec