Grape of the Year

The end of the year is slowly approaching so it's a good time to think about what's been going on with wine in 2008. I'll start with what I think has been the grape of the year......(drumroll please) Malbec. Not just Malbec, but specifically Argentinian Malbec. I would say that in the past two years, I've been tasting an incredible amount of awesome Malbec from Argentina. I've also had more people than ever specifically ask for Malbec. I love Argentinian Malbec because you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to buy great stuff. In fact, all of my favorites are in the 25 and under price range. I'd recommend Malbec to anyone looking for a less aggressive alternative to Shiraz. The good ones are typically rich and almost velvety in taste with plum and dark berry flavors on the palate.

My favorites:
2006 Altos Las Hormigas Riserva Malbec: This is not only my favorite Malbec, but it also ended up being one of our e-newsletter favorites from this year. $24.99/bottle

2007 Layer Cake Malbec: This ended up being one of the customer favorites at a recent wine tasting we did a couple of weeks ago. Although quite young, this wine is still very lush and easy to drink. No need for long winded, pretentious tasting notes. Try it, 'nuff said. $16.99/bottle