2018 Paanam Malbec Red Wine

2018 was a terrific growing season, resulting in healthy grapes with nice balance of fruit ripeness and acidity.

2018 was a mostly dry growing season with a very high thermal amplitude (temperature range between day and night) – which delivers a wonderful intensity to the fruit. The summer was very warm but sporadic rains helped the vines reach a nice balance between canopy and yield. We did have a significant drop in temperatures during the first weekend of April, when some vineyards in Mendoza had frost. We had negligible frost at The Vines and the cold snap simply started fall a little earlier, accelerating the ripeness and concentration of some grapes. We had observed in some red varietals, alcohol levels that are slightly higher than the last few years due to dry warm weather.

Grapes harvested in the beginning of the season are generally more fruit forward and grapes harvested later are showing as rich and full-bodied wines.

The Flavors and aromas from Malbec this year already include blackberry, plums and black pepper. We can observe already inky-violet colouring, well-structured tannins, and nice acidity.

Malbec

Brimming with ripe dark fruit character and inky black pigments, Malbec is a versatile, food-friendly red wine with significant roots in Mendoza’s Uco Valley. Malbec claims southwest France, specifically Cahors, as its original homeland where it is known simply as “Côt.”

Flavour Profile: Malbec is an extrovert. Dry, full-bodied, leaning higher in alcohol, with robust tannins, and decidedly forward fruit – this grape is hard to miss in the glass. Plenty of Mendoza sunshine at altitude gives the grapes a chance to carry considerable sugar levels, which converts to elevated alcohol levels in the bottle, with higher levels of innate acidity as well. Malbec grapes tend to sport thicker skins that give way to firmer tannins in the wine, thankfully this tighter structure is well balanced by engaging aromatics and rich dark fruit character. In terms of aromas and flavours, expect a Malbec berry medley to take the spotlight with plenty of blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and plum to dominate initial impressions. Delicious, warm vanilla spice, pepper, dark chocolate, exotic mocha notes along with the earthier aspects of leather, smoke and tobacco may all make their way into the heady palate profile of this versatile grape. While tannins may be considerable, the textures tend to round themselves out to a rich, velvety touch.

Pairing Picks: Malbec is a meat-lover’s wine. Perfectly happy with all sorts of red meat, and a natural with burgers, brats, wild game, sausage, ribs, braised lamb and roasted pork, Malbec’s innate tannins and bright acidity slice through the fat and protein structure with considerable ease. Versatile with veggies too, Malbec can find its way around vegetarian cuisine without a hitch, the earthy side of the grape welcomes the complementary character of root vegetables, wild mushrooms, and pungent (often blue) cheese. Given the higher alcohol levels and firmer structure, Malbec typically shows best when served at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

Malbec’s Place: Mendoza is home to more than 70% of Argentina’s vineyards and is the regional host to many of the most well-known Argentinean producers. The most important and familiar growing region around Mendoza is the Valle de Uco (Uco Valley). A combination of well-drained soil, consistent sun and significant altitude give the growing zones surrounding Mendoza a significant edge on the viticultural front. Most vineyards capture close to 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, and average around 3,000 feet in elevation, while showcasing the classic alluvial soil structure – a combination of sand and clay. Tucked into the distinguished Valle de Uco, The Vines of Mendoza cultivates over 1,500 acres offering wine lovers the exclusive experience of vineyard ownership and hands-on winemaking for the ultimate introduction to Malbec from grape to glass.

Fermentation Curve

Making Red Wine