Last week, we met and explored Malbec. Unlike the majority of our previous tasting group meetings, which have focused on a particular varietal from a specific region, this tasting simply focused on the varietal and each group member was free to bring a bottle of Malbec from any region in the world. The only requirement was that it was either varietally-labeled as Malbec (or a Malbec synonym such as Côt, Auxerrois, or Pressac) or, for countries that do not varietally-label, it must contain at least 75% Malbec. Malbec was originally one of the six varieties used in red Bordeaux blends along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and occasionally Carmenère. Today, it is only used sparingly in Bordeaux, and the majority of Malbec plantings in the country are found in the Cahors region in southwest France. In recent years, Malbec has become a celebrated varietal wine in Argentina. More and more Malbec continues to be planted in the United States as well. In my opinion, Washington State is producing some excellent Malbec. In general, Malbec is not as tannic as Cabernet Sauvignon but is spicier than Merlot and goes well with a number of different foods.

We tasted eight bottles of Malbec from around the world. Unfortunately, of those eight wines, two bottles (one from Cahors in France and one from Washington State) were corked so we did not include them in the rankings. The remaining six wines included three from Argentina and three from Washington State. The consensus favorite was the 2009 Archaval Ferrer Malbec from the Mendoza region of Argentina.

I was pleased to see how favorably the Washington wines performed against their peers from Argentina. The three wines from Washington State finished second, fourth, and sixth in the group consensus rankings. However, the Argentine wines all fared better than the Washington wines in the QPR department.

From 1st to last in the group consensus rankings:

2009 Archaval Ferrer Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina): Deep purple in color. Very aromatic with blackberry and floral notes as well as a hint of tire rubber on the nose. Blackberry, cinnamon, black pepper, and plum come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and silky tannins. Well-balanced with good mouthfeel and a very long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Compass Wines (Anacortes, Washington), $13; Available elsewhere, $16 to $31

2008 Alexandria Nicole Cellars Malbec (Block 20, Destiny Ridge Vineyards, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington): 96% Malbec and 4% Merlot. Deep, purplish red. Nice nose with chocolate, pencil lead, and black fruit aromas. Flavors of blackberry, plum, pomegranate, and spice. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity and medium to high, dusty tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $38

2008 Bodega Catena Zapata ‘Catena Malbec’ (Mendoza, Argentina): Deep purple in color. Aromatic with black fruits, vanilla cream, and sugar on the nose. More black fruits, vanilla, and spice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium to high tannins, and a long finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $20.49; Available elsewhere, $14 to $20

2008 Almquist Malbec (Northridge Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, Washington): Dark purple. Nice nose with blackberry, black cherry, and spice aromas. Very fruit forward with blackberry, black cherry, and a hint of chocolate on the palate. Medium-bodied with lively acidity, soft tannins, and a medium finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: McCarthy & Schiering (Seattle, Washington), $25; Available elsewhere, $27

2008 Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina): Medium-deep purplish red in color. Aromatic with black fruit, spice, earth, and a hint of barnyard on the nose. More black fruit, plum, licorice, and faint vegetal notes come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with lively acidity, medium tannins, and a medium to long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $8.79; Available elsewhere, $9 to $14

2008 Fidelitas Malbec (Columbia Valley, Washington): Deep purple in color. Nose is a bit tight at first and then some spice notes come through. Very jammy with blackberry and spice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium tannins and a medium finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Winery, $35; Available elsewhere, $34

Tasting Group: Malbec from Anywhere was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Established in 1998 in the famous Mendoza region of Argentina, Argento set out to master Malbec grown in their vineyards in the foothills of the Andes. In addition to Malbec, today Argento also produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda, Pinot Grigio, and Torrontés. The word “Argento” is Latin for silver. Nick Goldschmidt, who has been making wine for over 20 years, leads Argento’s winemaking team.

“This aromatic Torrontés offers an intense floral perfume typical of the true Argentine variety. The concentrated flavors of peach and citrus are complemented by minty eucalyptus notes — dry and fresh with a clean mineral finish.” –Argento

2010 Argento Torrontés (Cafayate Valley Salta, Argentina): Pale, greenish straw yellow in color. Nice nose with beautiful grapefruit aromas. More citrus fruits as well as floral notes and a hint of mint come through on the palate. Dry and light to medium-bodied with lively acidity and a long, fresh finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $13; Available elsewhere, $13

A Wine for Tonight: 2010 Argento Torrontés was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Redwood Creek is one of the brands in the E. & J. Gallo Winery portfolio. E. & J. Gallo Winery, headquartered in Modesto, California, is the world’s largest family-owned winery and the largest exporter of California wine. Sixteen family members spanning three generations of the Gallo family actively work at the winery. Redwood Creek’s winemaker, Cal Dennison, has been making wine for over 25 years. While the winery is located in California, the fruit for this Malbec was sourced from Argentina.

“The Redwood Creek Mendoza Malbec displays cherry and dark blackberry fruit with integrated brown spice and maple oak flavor notes. The wine has a soft texture but full in structure and fruit flavor. The finish is long and plush.” –Redwood Creek

2009 Redwood Creek Mendoza Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina): Deep red in color. Aromatic with blackberry, black cherry and spice on the nose. More black fruits and spice as well as black licorice come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied and lively with medium to high tannins and a long, smooth finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Received as sample, suggested retail $7.99; Available elsewhere, $6 to $10

A Wine for Tonight: 2009 Redwood Creek Mendoza Malbec was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Trapiche, founded over 125 years ago, is Argentina’s largest exported premium wine brand. They own over 1,000 hectares of their own vineyards and also source fruit from more than 200 other producers throughout Argentina. Trapiche is the leader in Malbec sales in Argentina.

For those of you who are not very familiar with Malbec, its ties go back to Bordeaux, France, where it was originally one of the five varieties used in red Bordeaux blends along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Today it is only used sparingly in Bordeaux but has really come into its own as a stand-alone varietal in Argentina.

“Beautiful, intense red color with violet hues. Sweet aromas of blackberries and plums. Elegant touch of smoke and vanilla. Velvety texture and a sweet, long aftertaste.” –Trapiche

2008 Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina): Deep, purplish red in color. Nice nose with blackberry, black cherry, oak, and spice aromas. Blackberry, plum, and licorice come through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with crisp acidity and medium to high, chewy tannins. Well-balanced with a long finish. The bottle is heavier and nicer than you might expect at this price point making it a great gift wine as well.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Fred Meyer (Seattle, Washington), $8.79; Available elsewhere, $8 to $13

A Wine for Tonight: 2008 Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

The festivities kicked off on Friday with the Washington Wine Restaurant Awards, picked up steam on Saturday with Education Day, and launched into overdrive on Sunday when the doors opened at 2pm for the Grand Tasting.

The Grand Tasting is the showcase event of Taste Washington. This year’s event featured over 200 wineries pouring their wines and over 60 restaurants serving small bites. With more than 650 wineries now open in the state of Washington, this event offers attendees the opportunity to try a large number of them in one place at one time. Considering the time and gas money you save not having to crisscross the state visiting tasting rooms and making appointments, the $125 for VIP tickets or $75 for general admission tickets is money well spent. Now, don’t get me wrong, once you attend an event like this and discover some favorite new wines and wineries, you will definitely want to make plans to travel to the wineries to visit and taste again. There is nothing like spending a long weekend in Washington wine country.

With 200+ wineries pouring close to 1,000 wines, it is impossible to taste all of them. Therefore, we always try to put together a “plan of attack” before the event. This year we decided to focus on new wineries or wineries that were new to us. As I mentioned on Wednesday, we had the opportunity to get a head start and taste some wines during the trade tasting at the Restaurant Awards on Friday and a few more during the seminars on Saturday. Those wines along with the ones we tasted at the Grand Tasting on Sunday totaled 116 different wines. As you’ll see from the complete breakdown of wines below, of those 116 wines, we rated 22 of them as 4-star quality or higher and 19 of them have a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck. As we’ve said over and over: Washington State is producing outstanding wines that deliver the most bang for your buck.

Of the wineries whose wines I had not tasted prior to this weekend, the most exciting discoveries were Tranche Cellars, a relatively new winery in Walla Walla affiliated with Corliss Estates, and Steppe Cellars, a winery located in Sunnyside that opened in 2005. One of the best aspects of Taste Washington is that often you will find either the winemaker and/or winery owner pouring that winery’s wines. We enjoyed the opportunity to visit with some of the winemakers/winery owners whose wines we have enjoyed in the past including Bob Betz of Betz Family Winery, Dean and Heather Neff of Nefarious Cellars, Mike and Karen Wade of Fielding Hills, Rich Funk of Saviah Cellars, Hugh and Kathy Shiels of Cote Bonneville, and Tim and Erica Blue of Adams Bench as well as meet a few who we had not had the chance to meet previously including Alex Golitzin of Quilceda Creek, Denise Slattery and Steve Michener of Trio Vintners, and Kay Simon of Chinook Wines.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted during the Taste Washington weekend. Under each Quality heading, the wine name and region will be listed along with price and QPR rating. Wines in bold type received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

Quality: 5 stars (out of 5)
2006 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $150, QPR: 5
1999 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $200, QPR: 5

Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Fielding Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, $38, QPR: 5
2006 Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $98, QPR: 5
2005 Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $110, QPR: 5
2007 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $125, QPR: 5
2005 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $175, QPR: 4

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2008 McKinley Springs Chenin Blanc, Horse Heaven Hills, $12, QPR: 5
2007 Owen Roe Sharecropper’s Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $14, QPR: 5
2007 Steppe Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 5
2005 Tranche Cellars Barbera, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 5
2007 Adams Bench “V” Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $42, QPR: 5
2007 Castillo de Feliciana Tempranillo, Wahluke Slope, $28, QPR: 4
2006 Bunnell Family Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, $38, QPR: 4
2007 Saviah Cellars Malbec, Walla Walla Valley, $30, QPR: 3
2007 Fidelitas Malbec, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2007 JM Cellars Boushey Vineyard Syrah, Yakima Valley, $40, QPR: 3
2007 Quilceda Creek Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $98, QPR: 3
2006 Cote Bonneville Carriage House Red Wine, DuBrul Vineyard, Yakima Valley, $50, QPR: 2
2007 Andrew Will Champoux Red Wine, Horse Heaven Hills, $55, QPR: 2
2007 Andrew Will Ciel du Cheval Red Wine, Red Mountain, $55, QPR: 2
2005 Cote Bonneville DuBrul Vineyard Red Wine, Yakima Valley, $120, QPR: 1

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Buried Cane Riesling, Washington State, $12, QPR: 5
2007 Columbia Crest H3 Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills, $14, QPR: 5
NV The Surveyor Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $14, QPR: 5
2007 Boomtown Syrah, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 5
2008 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, California, $17, QPR: 5
2005 Eagle Haven Sangiovese, Yakima Valley, $20, QPR: 5
2007 Mercer Estates Off Dry Riesling, Yakima Valley, $15, QPR: 4
2007 8 Bit Vintners Player 1 Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2007 Plaza Winery Royalty Red, Red Mountain, $18, QPR: 4
2007 Soos Creek Commander Comet Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2007 Davenport Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2007 Chinook Cabernet Franc, Yakima Valley, $22, QPR: 4
2007 Sojen Cellars Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley, $22, QPR: 4
2007 Davenport Cellars R.H.D. Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2007 Davenport Cellars Continuity Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2007 Southard Syrah, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 4
2007 Tildio Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 4
2004 Tranche Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 4
2009 Trio Vintners Tres Rose Rosé, Yakima Valley, $15, QPR: 3
2008 Mercer Estates Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 3
2007 Wines of Substance Malbec, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 3
2007 Memaloose Cabernet Franc, Columbia Gorge, $25, QPR: 3
2006 Steppe Cellars Artemisia Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2006 Walla Faces Red Bordeaux Blend, Walla Walla Valley, $30, QPR: 3
2007 Bunnell Family “a pic” Red Rhone Blend, Stonetree Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, $32, QPR: 3
2007 Bunchgrass Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $32, QPR: 3
2007 Cadaretta Syrah, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2007 Nefarious Malbec, Upland Vineyard, Snipes Mountain, $28, QPR: 2
2008 Isenhower Cellars Snapdragon Roussanne/Viognier, Red Mountain, $19, QPR: 2
2007 Adams Bench “Reckoning” Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $34, QPR: 2
2007 Gramercy Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $38, QPR: 2
2007 Bunnell Family Boushey-McPherson Syrah, Yakima Valley, $43, QPR: 2
2006 aMaurice Cellars Malbec, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 1
2007 Sparkman Cellars The Darkness Syrah, Yakima Valley, $50, QPR: 1

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
NV Seeing Red Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $10, QPR: 5
2007 Powers Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $12, QPR: 5
2007 Buried Cane Chardonnay, Washington State, $12, QPR: 4
2008 Cimicky Trumps Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia, $17, QPR: 4
2007 Corvus Cellars Ruckus Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2008 Sojen Cellars Syrah, Yakima Valley, $18, QPR: 4
2007 Ott & Murphy Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, $18, QPR: 4
2007 Castillo de Feliciana Miercoles Red Wine, Walla Walla Valley, $19, QPR: 4
2007 Mercer Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 4
2007 Southard Whipping Boy Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 4
2007 Palouse Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Rattlesnake Hills, $29, QPR: 4
2007 Dopf & Irion Riesling, Alsace, France, $16, QPR: 3
2006 Seia Syrah, Horse Heaven Hills, $20, QPR: 3
2006 Powers Reserve Syrah, Cougar Vineyard, Wahluke Slope, $20, QPR: 3
2007 Eagle Haven Syrah, Yakima Valley, $20, QPR: 3
2008 Naches Heights Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 3
2007 Plaza Winery Super Tuscan Sangiovese, Horse Heaven Hills, $22, QPR: 3
2007 Memaloose Mistral Ranch Red Wine, Columbia Gorge, $23, QPR: 3
2006 Walla Faces Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $25, QPR: 3
2006 CAVU Cellars Horizon Red, Walla Walla Valley, $26, QPR: 3
2007 Glencorrie Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2006 Walla Faces Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2006 Corvus Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $39, QPR: 3
2007 Glencorrie Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $40, QPR: 3
2008 Domaine Alary Grange Daniel Roussanne, Vins de Pays, France, $15, QPR: 2
2006 Domaine de la Berangeraie Cahors, France, $18, QPR: 2
2006 Ksana Malbec, Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina, $18, QPR: 2
2007 Pacific Rim Wallula Biodynamic Riesling, Horse Heaven Hills, $18, QPR: 2
2008 El Corazon First Crush Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $26, QPR: 2
2007 Ott & Murphy Mystique Red, Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 2
2006 Agate Field Cabernet Franc, Yakima Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2007 Glencorrie Merlot, Stillwater Creek Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2007 Madsen Family Cabernet Franc, Washington State, $28, QPR: 2
2007 Seia Syrah, Wahluke Slope, $30, QPR: 2
2007 Bunchgrass Syrah, Columbia Valley, $32, QPR: 2
2006 McKinley Springs Malbec, Horse Heaven Hills, $20, QPR: 1
2008 CAVU Cellars Barbera Alder Ridge, Horse Heaven Hills, $30, QPR: 1
2008 El Corazon Tigers Blood Carmenere, Walla Walla Valley, $32, QPR: 1
2005 Portrait Cellars Merlot, Red Mountain, $32, QPR: 1
2007 Dusted Valley Malbec, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 1
2007 Gramercy Cellars Tempranillo, Walla Walla Valley, $40, QPR: 1
2008 Maison Bleue Liberte Syrah, Yakima Valley, $40, QPR: 1
2007 Andrew Will Two Blondes Red Wine, Yakima Valley, $48, QPR: 1
2007 Obelisco Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $59, QPR: 1

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Buried Cane Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State, $13, QPR: NR
2008 Memaloose Estate Barbera, Columbia Gorge, $20, QPR: NR
2006 Fontaine Estates Dry Sangiovese, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2008 El Corazon Supernova Malbec, Rattlesnake Hills, $21, QPR: NR
2006 Two Mountain Winery Merlot, Yakima Valley, $22, QPR: NR
2005 Severino Cellars Syrah, Yakima Valley, $25, QPR: NR
2006 Madsen Family Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain, $30, QPR: NR
2007 Irlandes Reserve Syrah, Columbia Valley, $34, QPR: NR

Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
2008 Simply Seductively Smooth Red Syrah, Columbia Valley, $10, QPR: NR
2005 Christian Mouiex Merlot, Bordeaux, France, $15, QPR: NR
2005 Illusion Apparition Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley, $16, QPR: NR
2007 Snowgrass Roaring Creek Red, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2007 Eliseo Silva Syrah, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: NR
2005 Agate Field Syrah, Yakima Valley, $25, QPR: NR
2007 Irlandes Reserve Merlot, Columbia Valley, $36, QPR: NR
2007 Swiftwater Proprietary Red Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley, $50, QPR: NR

Taste Washington 2010: The Complete Recap was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Ashley Trout moved from Washington, DC, to Walla Walla, Washington, in 1999 to attend college. After only two weeks in Walla Walla, she started making wine. Years later after a climbing accident that caused her to miss the crush season in Washington, Ashley decided to go to the southern hemisphere for their crush so she wouldn’t have to wait a full year to get back to her passion of winemaking. While in Argentina, Ashley fell in love with Malbec and Torrontes. She has been spending part of her year in Mendoza, Argentina, and part of her year in Walla Walla, Washington, ever since that first trip. Flying Trout Wines is a result of her bi-annual, bi-hemispherical winemaking adventures. The first vintage of Flying Trout Wines was in 2004; currently, annual production is fewer than 1,000 cases.

Recently, Ashley was kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule to answer some questions for me and our Wine Peeps readers.

Highlights from Q&A with Ashley Trout:

How did you first get involved in the wine business?
I had only been living in Walla Walla for a week when I saw an email from Chuck Reininger (Reininger Winery), looking for part-time, entry level help. I had just moved to Walla Walla from Washington, DC, so the concept of working in a winery, was pretty novel and exciting. I gave it a try—for 11 years now.

What were the steps that led to where you are now?
If you enjoy what you do, you tend to keep doing it. A part time college job became full time and then a very full time job. By the time I graduated from college, I knew that making wine was what I would be doing for the rest of my life.

The Argentine stuff started happening after I had a bad rock climbing fall. I fell 35 feet and broke a lot of bones. I missed crush in the northern hemisphere that year. Once I was better, I didn’t want to wait another eight months for crush, so I headed down south. I was raised speaking Spanish, so that wasn’t an issue.

Has being a woman been an advantage or a disadvantage in your wine journey? Please explain.
I’m going to let the cat out of the bag here and say that being a woman in this industry is a huge advantage. I’ve shown up to vineyards and had all of my fruit loaded and tied down for me. I’ve shown up to warehouses and watched while other guys restack pallets for me. This is a girl thing, not an industry-courtesy thing. My husband and buddies do not often receive the same benefits. Quite frankly, if everyone wants to think that I am helpless and the consequences of their misconceptions are that they do a bunch of dirty work while I drink some coffee, then that is their loss. I used to fight all of this stuff tooth and nail and I finally came to a conclusion: You can spend all of your time fighting the system and old boy farmers, trying to prove some feminist power thing, or you can drink a cup of coffee. The choice, to me, is clear.

While Flying Trout was still relatively obscure, I got invited to all sorts of wonderful restaurants and places to do events because I am a woman. This is a ridiculous reason to pick a winery. But if it means that I get Flying Trout up and running that much quicker, I am not going to be the one to spill the beans.

Do you use the fact that you are a woman to promote your wines? If so, how?
I don’t, but that doesn’t mean that people don’t do it for me. I get invited to women-only events all of the time, so why not. I do not, however, seek them out.

What advice do you have for a woman wanting to get involved in the wine business today?
What are you waiting for? Tis the Season.

What are your thoughts about the Washington wine industry, in general?
I’ve been in it since 1999, and it has been amazing to see it balloon. We’ve got an increasing understanding of AVAs, technology, soils, etc. The schools in the area (WSU, WWCC, OSU, some facets of Whitman even) are focusing more and more on what’s going on and we are getting more (mostly grad) students working on excruciatingly detailed investigations on terroir and weather. We’ve got big boys, with money, who can fund a lot of their own private projects. The lab people are talking with the farmers, who are talking with the technology guys, who are talking with the vineyards, and a lot of people are listening to each other. The knowledge, interest, and funding are skyrocketing.

In recent years the Washington wine industry has grown at a rapid rate. Do you expect that trend to continue?
Supply and demand is always the issue at stake. You can almost always find the cash to make an extra ten cases, but if year after year those extra ten cases aren’t selling, the cash does run out. If people keep coming in and starting wineries, someone is going to need to start selling to the South Carolina’s and New Hampshire’s of this country. Seattle basement cellars will fill up sooner rather than later. As long as people are getting the word out about Washington wines far and wide, I see the trend continuing. The limiting factor will not be the wines, the land, or people with interest in starting wineries. It will be based more on how many talented marketing people living in New Hampshire want to be hired by Washington wineries.

I understand that you work part of the year in Mendoza, Argentina and part of the year in Walla Walla. How did that arrangement come about and what have you learned from that experience?
I went down there without a lot of planning the first year. I was told that I had a job lined up by an Argentinean…. To make a long story short, he had been humoring me, and I was stuck in Argentina for two months without any reason for being there. So I started knocking on doors and talking to people and I got an internship with one of Michel Rolland’s wineries, Alta Vista. I worked in the lab and because I was the same age as all of the guys going through enology programs who worked at dozens of different wineries, I got to know a lot of the industry quickly and in an informal way. It was very fluid for such an unplanned event.

I’ve learned a lot about Malbec and Torrontes, two varieties that weren’t very prominent in the Walla Walla Valley. Torrontes still isn’t, and I don’t see it popping up here in big quantities ever. It really likes altitude. I deal with a lot more hail down there and some potassium issues that don’t exist up here in the same way.

They do a lot more “wine by numbers” in the lab due to the quantity of wine that they are making. Theirs is a much more scientific and numbers approach whereas, for the most part, we are more on the farming, artistic approach. Neither is better or worse, but they certainly are different.

What is your vision for the future of Flying Trout Wines?
I am really excited to be taking the winery to the next level. I will be working with others in a great production facility. I grew tired and frustrated working alone in a garage for so long. I actually have access to floor drains now (gasp!) and I can’t tell you how exciting that is. I can’t say who yet, because we are still in the process of dotting and crossing, but we’re going to throw a big party once we are allowed to tell.

Feel free to share any other thoughts that you believe would be of interest to our readers.
Wine drinkers of my generation are not afraid to try new things or weird varietals. This purchasing of oddities allows the wineries and vineyards to keep pushing the boundaries. Every single one of us benefits from this ripple effect, so keep up the good work everyone—and thank you.

–

Many thanks to Ashley for sharing her story and thoughts with us. I wish her all the best and will be following her work and Flying Trout Wines with great interest, and I hope that you will too.

(Photos from Flying Trout Wines)

Women of Washington Wine: Ashley Trout of Flying Trout Wines was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Our selection criteria include:

• A very good Quality rating of >=3.5 stars (out of 5)
• A price tag of <=$15
• Must be widely available

Malbec is a varietal that is getting more and more attention and appeals to a wide variety of folks. It has a lot to offer. It is not as tannic as Cabernet Sauvignon but is spicier than Merlot and goes well with a number of different foods.

Lagarde produces Altas Cumbres Malbec. We have tasted this wine several times; it is very good and delivers excellent QPR at less than $10 a bottle. We’ve found it to be a very consistent wine, so even if you can’t find the 2006 vintage, I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase whichever vintage is available. Lagarde was founded in 1897 by Jose Angel Pereira and is located in the upper Mendoza River region of Argentina. Don Luis Menotti Pescarmona and his family bought the winery in 1975 and still operate the winery today under the direction of Sofia Pescarmona, the third generation of the family to be involved in the winery.

“Intense red colour with blue and violet tinges. Fruity flavours where most significant are red fruits. Harmonious and elegant. Ideal for: Any kind of meat, chicken, duck and any kind of pasta, too.” –Winemaker Juan Roby Stordeur on the 2008 Altas Cumbres Malbec

2006 Altas Cumbres Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina): Dark red and very aromatic. Dark fruits, oak, vanilla, and blackberry cobbler come through on the nose. Dark, fresh fruits and honey show through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with medium tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin Wine Merchants (Seattle, Washington), $9.99; Available elsewhere, $8 to $10 [2007 and 2008 vintages are currently available]

A Wine for Tonight: 2006 Altas Cumbres Malbec was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

On Friday evening, Dad (John) attended the Vintage Pour at The Marcus Whitman Hotel where 34 wineries dipped into their libraries to pour a total of 53 wines from the 2002 vintage and older. This tasting truly showcased the aging potential of Washington State wines. Dad was completely blown away by the oldest wine in the tasting, the 1994 L’Ecole Cabernet Sauvignon.

Colby and I attended the Grand Pavilion Tasting on the lawn at Whitman College on Saturday afternoon. We focused on wineries that were new to us. In all, we tasted 45 wines from 21 wineries. Our most exciting discoveries were Kontos Cellars, Couvillion Winery, and Walla Walla Vintners.

Interspersed throughout the Vintage Walla Walla festivities, we took the opportunity to visit some wineries that I had not previously visited: Bergevin Lane, Forgeron, Sleight of Hand, Tamarack, K Vintners, àMaurice, and Stephenson. Luckily, Forgeron winemaker Marie-Eve Gilla happened to be in when we stopped by so we were able to tour the winery with her. Visiting with Marie was a highlight of the weekend for me, and my daughter Sydney absolutely loved Marie’s dog, Salsa. We also had the pleasure to interview Dave Stephenson of Stephenson Cellars and will share that video in a future post. Stephenson makes stellar Syrah; his 2006 Syrah topped our list for the weekend in terms of Quality (4.5/5) and QPR (5/5).

We made a point to stop at a couple of our favorite wineries, Saviah and Watermill, as well. Saviah owner/winemaker Rich Funk took us through a vertical tasting of his Saviah Red Mountain Syrah from the 2003 through the 2007 vintage. Look for a future post on that tasting.

And on our way out of town, we stopped at the new Waterbrook tasting room whose Grand Opening coincided with Vintage Walla Walla weekend. Waterbrook is the flagship brand for the new Walla Walla Wine Works, owned by Precept Wine Brands, whose new facility is on the same property just across a little pond.

Here’s a breakdown of the wines that we tasted during the Vintage Walla Walla weekend. Under each Quality heading, the wine name and region will be listed along with price and QPR rating. Since the older wines tasted at the Vintage Pour are not available for purchase, their price and QPR is listed as NA. Wines in bold type received a QPR rating of 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5).

Quality: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
2006 Stephenson Cellars Syrah, Washington State, $32, QPR: 5
2007 K Vintners Syrah Pheasant, Wahluke Slope, $35, QPR: 5
1994 L’Ecole Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
2008 Sleight of Hand “The Curtain Call” Late Harvest Riesling, Walla Walla Valley, $15 [375ml], QPR: 5
2008 Watermill Late Harvest Gewurztraminer, Walla Walla Valley, $18 [375ml], QPR: 5
2006 Forgeron Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 5
2006 Bergevin Lane Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $26, QPR: 5
2006 Kontos Cellars Merlot, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 5
2007 Walla Walla Vintners Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 5
2005 Stephenson Cellars Merlot, Washington State, $28, QPR: 5
2006 Stephenson Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington State, $32, QPR: 5
2003 Forgeron Cabernet Sauvignon Pepper Bridge Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley, $46, QPR: 5
2008 K Vintners Syrah Rosé, Walla Walla Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2006 Couvillion ‘Equilibre’ Red Wine Bordeaux Blend, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 4
2006 Saviah Cellars Cabernet Franc, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 4
2007 Saviah Cellars Malbec, Walla Walla Valley, $30, QPR: 4
2006 Forgeron Barbera, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 4
2007 Bergevin Lane Pinot Noir, Walla Walla Valley, $38, QPR: 4
2006 Feather [Long Shadows] Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $60, QPR: 4
2008 Bergevin Lane Viognier, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 3
2006 àMaurice Malbec, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 3
2006 Stephenson Cellars Patina Vineyard Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $45, QPR: 3
2007 Tamarack Cellars DuBrul Vineyard Reserve, Yakima Valley, $50, QPR: 2
2006 Bergevin Lane Intuition Reserve Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $55, QPR: 2
2005 Pirouette [Long Shadows], Columbia Valley, $55, QPR: 2
2002 Beresan Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2000 Canoe Ridge Vineyard Merlot, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Cougar Crest Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2001 Dunham Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon VII, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Five Star Cellars Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2001 Forgeron Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2001 K Vintners “Morrison Lane” Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2000 K Vintners “End of the Road” Syrah, Red Mountain, $NA, QPR: NA
2000 L’Ecole Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2001 Leonetti Cellar Reserve, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Lowden Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Pepper Bridge Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Russell Creek Winemakers Select Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
1998 Seven Hills Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Spring Valley Vineyard Frederick, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 SYZYGY Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2001 Tamarack Cellars DuBrul Vineyard Reserve, Yakima Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Tamarack Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
2007 Waterbrook Sangiovese Rosé, Columbia Valley, $12, QPR: 4
2007 Saviah Cellars “The Jack” Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 4
NV Stephenson Cellars Red Wine, Washington State, $20, QPR: 4
2007 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 4
2007 K Vintners Syrah Milbrandt, Wahluke Slope, $25, QPR: 4
2003 Forgeron Merlot, Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 4
2006 SYZYGY Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $36, QPR: 4
2006 Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $42, QPR: 4
2009 Watermill Rosé Wine, Walla Walla Valley, $14, QPR: 3
2008 Bergevin Lane Calico White, Columbia Valley, $16, QPR: 3
2006 Tertulia Cellars Sobra Red, Columbia Valley, $24, QPR: 3
2007 Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2006 Fort Walla Walla Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $28, QPR: 3
2007 Tamarack Cellars Cabernet Franc, Wahluke Slope, $28, QPR: 3
2005 Forgeron Zinfandel, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 3
2005 Bergevin Lane Oui Deux Syrah, Wahluke Slope, $32, QPR: 3
2006 SYZYGY Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $34, QPR: 3
2008 Buty Rosé of the Stones (Malbec), Walla Walla Valley, $19, QPR: 2
2007 Stephenson Cellars Viognier, Washington State, $20, QPR: 2
2008 K Vintners Viognier, Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 2
2008 Dowsett Family Winery Gewurztraminer, Columbia Gorge, $20, QPR: 2
2007 Kontos Cellars Gossamer White, Columbia Valley, $22, QPR: 2
2006 Kontos Cellars Alatus Red Blend, Columbia Valley, $32, QPR: 2
2006 àMaurice Red Blend “Tsutakawa”, Columbia Valley, $35, QPR: 2
2007 Abeja Chardonnay, Washington State, $36, QPR: 2
2007 Sleight of Hand “Levitation” Syrah, Columbia Valley, $40, QPR: 2
2006 Saggi [Long Shadows], Columbia Valley, $45, QPR: 2
2008 Forgeron Roussanne, Columbia Valley, $23, QPR: 1
2007 K Vintners “The Boy” Grenache, Walla Walla Valley, $45, QPR: 1
2006 Browne Family Vineyards Red Bordeaux-style Blend, Columbia Valley, $50, QPR: 1
2002 Amavi Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Beresan Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Buty Merlot & Cabernet Franc, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Cayuse En Chamberlin Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Five Star Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Five Star Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 James Leigh Cellars Syrah, Spofford Station, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Chester Kidder [Long Shadows], Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Morrison Lane Reserve Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
1999 Northstar Merlot, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
1999 Patrick M. Paul Vineyards Cabernet Franc, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2000 Reininger Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Russell Creek Winemakers Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 SYZYGY Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
1999 Walla Walla Vintners Cuvee, Washington State, $NA, QPR: NA
1996 Woodward Canyon “Artist Series” Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
2006 Bergevin Lane Calico Red, Columbia Valley, $16, QPR: 4
NV Forgeron Walldeaux Smithie Red, Columbia Valley, $16, QPR: 4
2006 Sleight of Hand “The Spellbinder” Red, Columbia Valley, $19, QPR: 4
2006 Adamant Cellars Red Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot), Columbia Valley, $23, QPR: 4
2006 Couvillion Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $27, QPR: 4
2007 Waterbrook Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $12, QPR: 3
2007 Watermill Viognier, Columbia Valley, $14, QPR: 3
2007 Watermill Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $14, QPR: 3
2007 Tamarack Cellars Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 3
2007 Waterbrook Reserve Syrah, Columbia Valley, $22, QPR: 3
2007 Tamarack Cellars Sangiovese, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 3
2006 Couvillion Merlot, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 3
2005 Tamarack Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $32, QPR: 3
2006 Tertulia Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills, $34, QPR: 3
2006 The Beast [Buty] Phinny Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills, $35, QPR: 3
2007 Waterbrook Melange Blanc, Columbia Valley, $15, QPR: 2
2008 Ardenvoir [Chateau Rollat] Rosé, Columbia Valley, $16, QPR: 2
2008 Sleight of Hand “The Magician’s Assistant” Cabernet Franc Rosé, Walla Walla Valley, $17, QPR: 2
2008 Couvillion Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: 2
2006 Tamarack Cellars Merlot, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2005 428 Boulevard Red Wine, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2007 Dowsett Family Winery Devotion (Syrah/Mourvedre/Grenache), Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2005 Tamarack Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: 2
2003 Forgeron Syrah, Columbia Valley, $30, QPR: 2
2007 Abeja Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $32, QPR: 2
2006 Flying Trout Sangiovese, Columbia Valley, $33, QPR: 2
2007 Tertulia Cellars Viognier, Columbia Valley, $19, QPR: 1
2008 Flying Trout Torrontes, Argentina, $19, QPR: 1
2008 Adamant Cellars Bliss (Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon), Columbia Valley, $20, QPR: 1
2007 Buty Semillon, Sauvignon & Muscadelle, Columbia Valley, $25, QPR: 1
2006 àMaurice Syrah, Columbia Valley, $34, QPR: 1
2007 Adamant Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $35, QPR: 1
2001 Forgeron Merlot, Columbia Valley, $37, QPR: 1
2006 K Vintners “Guido” Sangiovese, Walla Walla Valley, $40, QPR: 1
NV Ensemble Cellars Red, Washington State, $48, QPR: 1
2002 Basel Cellars Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Cayuse Bionic Frog Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2001 Forgeron Zinfandel, Alder Ridge Vineyard, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2001 James Leigh Cellars Syrah, Spofford Station, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Lowden Hills Merlot, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Morrison Lane Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Nicholas Cole Cellars “Camille”, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Patit Creek Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2000 Reininger Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2001 Seven Hills Winery Pentad, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2000 Waterbrook Syrah, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Zerba Cellars Merlot, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Zerba Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NA
2002 Zerba Cellars Syrah, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NA

Quality: 2.5 stars (out of 5)
2006 Renegade Wine Thieves [Sleight of Hand] Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $15, QPR: NR
2008 Gifford Hirlinger Pinot Gris, Walla Walla Valley, $16, QPR: NR
2007 Sleight of Hand “The Magician” Gewurztraminer, Columbia Valley, $17, QPR: NR
2008 Couvillion Riesling, Columbia Valley, $18, QPR: NR
2006 Waterbrook Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $22, QPR: NR
2008 Cadaretta SBS White, Columbia Valley, $23, QPR: NR
2006 àMaurice Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $28, QPR: NR
2006 Fort Walla Walla Cellars Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $32, QPR: NR
2006 Cadaretta Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, $39, QPR: NR
2002 Russell Creek Winery Merlot, Columbia Valley, $50, QPR: NR
2002 Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Bottling One, Columbia Valley, $NA, QPR: NR
2002 Whitman Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla Valley, $NA, QPR: NR

Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
2007 Gifford Hirlinger Malbec, Walla Walla Valley, $26, QPR: NR
2002 Russell Creek Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Walla Walla Valley, $50, QPR: NR

Vintage Walla Walla 2009 was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

1. Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay
2. Beringer Vineyards White Zinfandel
3. Cavit Pinot Grigio Italy
4. Sutter Home White Zinfandel
5. Inglenook Chablis
6. Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio Italy
7. Yellow Tail Chardonnay Australia
8. Copperidge Chardonnay
9. Yellow Tail Shiraz Australia
10. Franzia Winetaps Vintner Select White Zinfandel

Are you as shocked as I was when you read this list? Three White Zins. Only one red wine. I have a hard time envisioning any of our readers rushing out to buy these and especially not at restaurant prices. While the average retail price of these wines is only $6.50, restaurant customers buying these wines are paying two to three times that amount and buying these wines by the truckload. Unbelievable!

If you have been buying these wines, I won’t tell anyone; but let me make a couple of suggestions:

1. If you have to buy them, don’t buy them at a restaurant.
2. Broaden your horizons. Try more different varietals, both red and white.
3. Try some of the wines I’ve listed below. They are excellent wines that retail for $10 or less:

In these tough economic times, more and more of us are buying less and less wine at restaurants, and instead buying a bottle at a wine shop and taking it home to drink with our meal and/or sip by a fire. But if you still plan to have wine when dining out, you might want to refer back to our Ordering wine at a restaurant post for some helpful tips.

Good Alternatives to America’s Most Popular Restaurant Wines was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Malbec appeals to a wide variety of wine drinkers. It is not as tannic as Cabernet Sauvignon but is spicier than Merlot and goes well with a number of different foods. In addition to being a very versatile wine, Argentine Malbec in particular delivers serious bang-for-your-buck. One of our wine tasting dinners last summer featured Argentine Malbec. In that tasting, all six wines cost under $20 with the winner coming in under $10. The winner that evening was the 2006 Altas Cumbres.

One day while wine shopping, we came across the 2005 Catena Malbec and decided to buy a bottle to try. So in typical Wine Peeps fashion, we brought it home and sacked it up along with a proven favorite, the 2006 Altas Cumbres, and put them into our private tasting lineup. For a more complete description of how we set up these private tastings, please refer to How We Taste.

At one of our recent private tasting dinners, we had what turned out to be this Argentine Malbec showdown. Both wines were good. In fact, we were split two to two on which one we liked best. And while we did enjoy the Altas Cumbres again, we did not rate this particular bottle quite as high as we had in our dinner last summer. Nevertheless, at $9.99, it is still a great buy! The Catena will set you back a few more dollars but it is very enjoyable as well.

2006 Altas Cumbres Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina): Dark red and very aromatic. Dark fruits, oak, vanilla, and blackberry cobbler come through on the nose. Dark, fresh fruits and honey show through on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with medium tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin (Seattle), $9.99; Triphammer Wines (New York), $9.99

2005 Catena Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina): Deep garnet. Aromas of red fruits, cotton candy, and kettle corn along with a little barnyard lead to flavors of extra ripe plums, leather, and Twizzlers. Crisp, medium to full-bodied with medium tannins and a long finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Pete’s Wine Shop – Eastside (Seattle area), $17; Wine.com (California), $16.79

Private Tasting: Argentine Malbec was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.