What’s better for grilling meat than Malbec? If nothing else, Argentina has one of the highest rates of per capita beef consumption in the world. They just happen to also have the perfect wine for it in Malbec. With great structure, and plenty of plummy and chocolate flavors, it’s a sure fire bet. So if you’re grilling out, is 505 Vineyards Malbec the wine for you?
Sight: A deep ruby with a lean toward heavy purple, with bright pink edges.
Smell: Plums and cherries jump out with intensity, and are followed up with cedar, tobacco leaf, and violets. Touches of prunes and cocoa get in on the act.
Sip: The body is more restrained, and comes off relatively smooth, but still lively. It leads off with a vanilla and oak kind of note, before moving into some black plum and blackberry. Violets hide in the edge.
Savor: The finish is a touch tannic, but generally leans toward touches of vanilla, tobacco, and plum. Violets enter at the very end.
505 Vineyards Malbec starts out aggressive, but then quiets down dramatically. The flavor profile is a little bit all over the place here, switching from floral to fruit to barrel. The flavors it conveys are nice though, and build well, just consistently. That said, 505 Vineyards Malbec is tasty, and has a good oak influence, with an unexpected floral lean.
Verdict: Black Plum, Violets, Vanilla, Smooth
Rating: 86
Price: $10
Mendoza, Argentina