This time last year, I was swanning around Shanghai and enjoying a month of travel. I'd been helping out freelancing at Milton Sandford Wines for about a year and when I left, MD Debbie handed me this wonderful bottle of Malbec as a parting gift.
She knew I was a fan of Catena - the first South American to wine Decanter's Man of the Year.
Today, as I pondered which good bottle of red to open from my wine rack, Instagram advised me that today is Argentina's Independence Day. In fact, it's the 200th anniversary. I took it as a sign that I should open this 2002 Malbec.
A wine of great structure, the tannins physically adhered to my tongue with the first few sips, giving me the trademark purple teeth, and a purple tongue. Despite this, it's actually very supple. Acidity comes next. Despite its age, this is still a fresh and juicy wine, even after an aperitif of rather good Paul Cluver Riesling.
Alcohol is in balance and the punch of dark fruit comes next, quickly followed by meaty, leathery notes of a well-aged wine. The spice lingers on the palate, and a hint of cocoa comes through minutes later.
Mr Purple Teeth is a huge fan. Almost Cabernet blackcurranty rich fruit wins him over for the very first sip.
A wine with layers, and great length, the complexity is just what I had in mind for tonight. It may be summer, but outside it looks more like winter, and who cares about seasonality when the wine is as good as this.
This year, I may be working in the corporate world, rather than voyaging and enjoying daily proximity to wine, but I still know a good day when I see one.
Cheers!
She knew I was a fan of Catena - the first South American to wine Decanter's Man of the Year.
Today, as I pondered which good bottle of red to open from my wine rack, Instagram advised me that today is Argentina's Independence Day. In fact, it's the 200th anniversary. I took it as a sign that I should open this 2002 Malbec.
A wine of great structure, the tannins physically adhered to my tongue with the first few sips, giving me the trademark purple teeth, and a purple tongue. Despite this, it's actually very supple. Acidity comes next. Despite its age, this is still a fresh and juicy wine, even after an aperitif of rather good Paul Cluver Riesling.
Alcohol is in balance and the punch of dark fruit comes next, quickly followed by meaty, leathery notes of a well-aged wine. The spice lingers on the palate, and a hint of cocoa comes through minutes later.
Mr Purple Teeth is a huge fan. Almost Cabernet blackcurranty rich fruit wins him over for the very first sip.
A wine with layers, and great length, the complexity is just what I had in mind for tonight. It may be summer, but outside it looks more like winter, and who cares about seasonality when the wine is as good as this.
This year, I may be working in the corporate world, rather than voyaging and enjoying daily proximity to wine, but I still know a good day when I see one.
Cheers!
PS. The Paul Ckuver Elgin Perricrete was a delightful, light (10.5% abv) Riesling aperitif, served with garlicky prawns. Full of lime and mineral notes, it punched through the garlic and stood up to be heard. (Available from M&S).
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