Malbec remains hot down in Argentina and the Mendoza, where it creates smooth, soft wines with moderate body and soaring flavors of plum, chocolate, and earth.  Generally less tannic than cabernet sauvignon, malbec offers a nice alternative to merlot, and generally at a great price as well.  As Argentina has one of the highest beef consumption rate, malbec tends to pair particularly well with meat.  So could Colores Del Sol Reserva Malbec 2014 provide a nice pairing for the prime rib on Christmas?

Sight:  A bright pink around the edge, with a ruby-violet core.

Smell:  Blackberries and ripe cherries both come out at the start, are complimented by some subtle floral notes in the background and a touch of vanilla.

Sip:  Bright to start, and with a nicely moderate body, it moves toward graphite, cherries, and blackberries.  There’s a subtle touch of smoke and flowers backing it up, adding a little complexity, but it becomes hard find in the brightness.  That being said, there’s depth.

Savor:  The ending builds on blackberries and cherry, and gets a moderate amount of tannic backing.  The very end gets a hint of smoke.

Colores Del Sol Reserva Malbec is a very pleasant malbec that fits quite well into the mould of malbec.  Somehow, Whole Foods has this wine up for $20, which seems a bit  ridiculous.  While it has an interestingly long finish, and there’s a good amount of potential, it never quite makes it.  That being said, if you can find Colores Del Sol Reserva Malbec for $8, it’s a pretty nice Malbec, which has a good texture, long finish, and is good for day to day drinking.

Verdict:  Smoke, Blackberry, Bright, Cherry
Price: $8 ($20 at Whole Foods, stay closer to $8-10)
Mendoza, Argentina