Reviews of wines and spirits for the curious drinker.
When collectors speak of Argentine Malbec at its most refined, and age-worthy, one name inevitably rises to the surface: Catena Alta Malbec. The brand represents a philosophy—one rooted in history, sharpened by science, and expressed through some of the highest and most carefully studied vineyard rows in Mendoza.
Continue reading “Catena Alta Historic Rows Malbec 2021 Review”
Odonata MalbecÂ
Odonata is a small boutique winery near Salinas, California. It is owned and operated by Denis Hoey, who traveled a winding road from business management, to would-be firefighter, to brewery worker, and finally to winemaker.
The Blind Horse Winery
Bob Moeller retired at age 56 after a lucrative career as a roofing contractor in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. As he was relaxing and ruminating on a beach in Clearwater, Florida, one afternoon, this thought came to mind, “If I continue to do this, I’m going to die.”
Cheryl Indelicato is part of the third generation of the family that owns Delicato Family Vineyards. Delicato offers wines under such brands as HandCraft Wines, Black Stallion, Bota Box, Gnarly Head, La Merika, Massimo, and others.
Catena Wines
In 1902, Italian immigrant Nicola Catena planted his first Malbec vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina. Domingo, Nicola’s eldest son, took the family winery to the next level, building the Catena business to become one of the largest vineyard holders in Mendoza. Like his father, Domingo Catena fiercely believed that Argentine Malbec could make a wine as worthy as any first-growth Bordeaux.
Hey, man, check out this gnarly wine. Gnarly Head wine, actually.
Starting from San Francisco, go about 100 miles east and a bit north and you’ll reach Lodi, California, home of Gnarly Head Winery.
Trapiche Broquel Winery
Come with us now to Argentina, famous for the tango, Che Guevara, gauchos, and, increasingly, wine. Like 85 percent of Argentina’s quality producers, Trapiche is located in Mendoza in the north-central part of the country near the eastern foothills of the Andes.