vintage: 2012

Trapiche Broquel Malbec 2012

87
Trapiche Broquel
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Argentina
Appellation: Mendoza
Retail Price: $13

Tasting Notes: Purple in color. Dark fruit plum nose. Plum, cherry, pepper flavors. Moderate tannins. Nice finish.
Trapiche Broquel Malbec 2012

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Tierra del Sol Malbec 2012

89
Tierra del Sol
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Argentina
Appellation: Mendoza
Retail Price: $12

Tasting Notes: Blackberry and plum fill the bouquet, lightly framed with mild oak. Medium bodied and smooth, it possesses juicy blackberry and black cherry flavors. Soft tannins keep the wine inviting, and it has the structure and grip to easily handle grilled meats and vegetables.
Tierra del Sol Malbec 2012

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Fabre Montmayou Malbec 2012

91
Fabre Montmayou
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Argentina
Appellation: Lujan de Cuyo
Retail Price: $28

Tasting Notes: All estate-grown fruit from 50-year-old vines in the Cuyo regions produces complex, full-bodied flavors. Light oak aging lets the rich, chewy, fruit shine through.
Fabre Montmayou Malbec 2012

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Dona Paula Estate Malbec 2012

90
Dona Paula Estate
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Argentina
Appellation: Ugarteche
Retail Price: $16

Tasting Notes: A rich yet pretty malbec, offering a more-controlled style of this big grape. This wine doesn’t offer any one over-the-top flavor, but rather a smooth and subtle unraveling of flavors from start to finish.
Dona Paula Estate Malbec 2012

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Catena Malbec 2012

89
Catena
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Argentina
Appellation: Mendoza
Retail Price: $20

Tasting Notes: Deep purple in color. Aroma of dark fruit. Plum and dark cherry flavors. Firm tannins with a long finish.
Catena Malbec 2012

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Catena Malbec 2012

91
Catena
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Argentina
Appellation: Mendoza
Retail Price: $23

Tasting Notes: This malbec is rich and silky, with bold, dark fruit. The finish has a hint of leather and dark chocolate with a long, lingering finish. This wine definitely highlights the varietal beauty of malbec.
Catena Malbec 2012

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Vina Cobos Felino Malbec 2012

93
Vina Cobos Felino
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Argentina
Appellation: Mendoza
Retail Price: $21

Tasting Notes: This Felino malbec carries a deep magenta hue and aromas of dark berries and anise. On the palate, intense, pure flavors of just-picked raspberries, black plum and graphite unfold in velvety layers. Exotic notes of ginger and white pepper carry through the mid-palate to intermingle with firm tannins and notes of cedar on the finish.
Vina Cobos Felino Malbec 2012

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Susana Balbo Malbec 2012

96
Susana Balbo
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Argentina
Appellation: Mendoza
Retail Price: $37

Tasting Notes: Argentina’s flying winemaker shows her talents with this one. Malbec and 8% cabernet make this a uniquely styled wine. Aromas of violets, black cherries, and plums dominate. Rich and supple, with a strong tannic backbone, this wine finishes with vanilla, tobacco, and dark chocolate flavors.
Susana Balbo Malbec 2012

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Salentein Numina Malbec 2012

92
Salentein Numina
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Argentina
Appellation: Uco Valley
Retail Price: $43

Tasting Notes: A Bordeaux blend from Argentina’s Uco Valley that is 62% malbec, this wine is smooth and elegant, with fine tannins, complex black fruit notes and a long finish that would indicate ageability.
Salentein Numina Malbec 2012

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Layer Cake Malbec 2012

92
Layer Cake
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Argentina
Appellation: Mendoza
Retail Price: $17

Tasting Notes: A classic malbec: Big, brooding, black fruit, then rich earth, truffles and dark cocoa are at the front. The vineyard is at its core, always evident with the thread of minerality that the deep alluvial cobblestones lend. This wine is so elegant in the mouth, with fresh-picked blackberries, hints of chocolate and wisps of smoked bacon.
Layer Cake Malbec 2012

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Colome Malbec 2012

92
Colome
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Argentina
Appellation: Salta
Retail Price: $28

Tasting Notes: This is definitely the whole milk of malbec, with some of the highest-elevation fruit on the planet. The grapes have a rich concentration of flavors that show dramatically through every sip. Savor this malbec with a grilled steak or simply after dinner by a fire on a cold winter night.
Colome Malbec 2012

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Albert Bichot Bourgogne Vignes de Pinot Noir 2012

95
Albert Bichot Bourgogne
Fanciful Name: Vieilles Vignes
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: France
Appellation: Burgundy
Retail Price: $20

Tasting Notes: The “old vine” grapes for this consistently stylistic and superb wine come from four estates across Burgundy. A bright ruby color. Aromas of not-quite-ripe berry and cherry meld with hints of chalk, loam and flint, which says “Burgundy”! Delicate flavors of red fruits coat the palate, showing strong in the middle, and finishing with firm tannins and more terroir. This is a classic old-world Bourgogne Rouge. The 2012 vintage will develop beautifully for five more years―easily. An excellent value.
Albert Bichot Bourgogne Vignes de Pinot Noir 2012

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