Trapiche Reserve Malbec 2008

A solid malbec, doesn't blow you out of the water but above average. A good jammy, astringent wine, not the blockbuster shiraz type but more than a merlot. I should have aerated this one to bring it all out. Lots of cherry, earthy plum and maybe some hints of leather and mineral. This would work with any red meat or tomato based dishes.

88 points. Probably in the $10-$12 range, so a strong value.

Doña Paula Shiraz Malbec 2008

I recall another Doña Paula I wrote about a while back which was tasty, and this one is even better. It is rich and has the usual big Shiraz berry and mouthfeel, and plum from the Malbec, a really successful blend. Some other tasters noted chocolate and white pepper (I agree with the first, not the second). This would be awesome with red meat, which is too bad because I had a leftover steak and baked potato with a Guinness before I decided to open this last night during the Canada-Russia hockey game. Like Team Canada, it's a winner: rich, deep, passionate, and attacks the crease relentlessly (OK, that last one stretched the metaphor a bit too far, but you know what I mean).

And for the price the value is outrageous. We'll probably start buying this by the case.

91 points. $13.29 at Costco.

Don Miguel Gascon Malbec 2007

I'm back. Sorry for the delay.

This one I'd never heard of, just happened to see it on the shelf with a fancy "90" around the neck of the bottles. The 2006 was apparently one of DeVines' best sellers.

A deep purple colour, this Malbec needs a little time out in the open, as advertised. Nice earthy and alcohol-ey bouquet, I get a lot of plum taste. Would go well with, well, I'm not sure... a rare steak, pasta with a tomato sauce, lamb maybe. Quite dry with slightly aggressive tannins. If you do buy a bottle of this you really have to look at the colour, it's quite dark and unique. A very nice Malbec once it breathes.

89 points. About $18 at DeVines.

Catena Malbec 2006

Here's a wine that demonstrates why you need to taste it yourself and trust your own instincts. Both the Wine Advocate and the Wine Spectator give it 91 points, going on about how well layered it is and its long fleshy finish. I liked it, but thought it tasted a lot like sour cherry juice. Maybe the pros give more consideration as to how a wine will age, although they didn't say that and one review even noted explicitly to "drink now". I am by no means an expert on what a wine will be like a year or two from now based on how it tastes today, but IMHO this malbec will likely be better down the road when it's a little mellower and less acidic.

All in all it was pretty good, but not - in our view - outstanding. It would probably go best with a somewhat spicy meal with strong flavours like jambalaya or even fajitas. Have to make a mental note to come back to this one for a retaste to see if we still differ from the experts, or if we just had an off night.

On a totally unrelated note, the label reminds me of the Mayan pyramids that my daughters and their grandfather built on the beach in Mexico last year. Check it out:

86 points. $16.99

Finca Los Primos Malbec 2007

OK, we're getting serious about this Cheap Wine Night. I have a list of over 200 top-rated wines that cost under $20, although a lot of those are from an American wine website and are probably (a) more expensive here or (b) not available anyway. Also making up the list are selections from the Canadian magazine Wine Access feature "Best Wines under $25", but of those wines only some are available in Alberta. But, there are still enough to make for a decent scavenger hunt. We had a fun night last night slowly picking through the aisles in a couple of liquor stores, cross-checking our printed lists.

This malbec rated quite highly, so we were happy to find it at Superstore under ten bucks. It's delicious. The first thing that hits me is its earthiness. It's what I think of when Paul Giamatti's character in Sideways refers to a wine's character as "ancient". That was part of the big Pinot Noir soliloquy, but I think it applies here. The Finca has a purply plum colour and some plum flavour, all extremely well balanced with good character and unfortunately little finish. The wine is great for sipping on its own, but would be great with red meat dishes. Complex and drinkable.

Given the price, I would get this fantastic malbec again in a heartbeat.

90 points. $9.99 at Superstore.

Doña Paula Malbec 2007

This one showed up at our Christmas party - didn't see who brought it, but thanks very much. This is a new one for me, I've never even heard of the winery before. So let's pour a glass and write as we go....

Well: nice label, classy. Terrific deep garnet red colour. Smells amazing - rich, peppery and berries, but mostly earthy. First sips are similarly impressive: full and complex but not big and chewy, with a nice long black pepper finish. Somewhere between a good pinot noir and a jammy cabernet, a really nice Malbec (and I've had some pretty mediocre - OK, crappy - ones). I'm not sure what if anything you would eat with this, maybe something mild to contrast the robustness of the wine. Second glass and the mineral notes are coming through too. A nice one for tasting, an impressive one to give as a gift. Again, to the anonymous party guest who brought this - thanks!

89 points. A gift, but I'd guess around $20.