Adventurous Red Wines (Part 2)

Red wine has become a favorite for most wine drinkers, but it is easy to get bogged down in the same choices over and over.  Wine lovers who are looking to branch out should try some of these excellent red wines.

In western Argentina, Malbec is the most popular red wine.  The Malbec grape belongs to the Bordeaux family of grapes, alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.  However, in the cool maritime climate of Bordeaux, the grape produces a thin and bitter juice.  It performs better in the warmer region of Cahors, in southwest France, ripening to produce a heavy wine meant for aging and pairing with heavy foods.  In Argentina, the grape is given the chance to really show its worth. 

In warm, sunny Mendoza, a large region on the other side of the Andes from Santiago, Malbec gets plenty ripe, filling with lots of black plum, black currant, and black licorice flavors. A fair amount of tannin supports that blackness, but the grapes are so ripe that the tannin feels soft and smooth instead of hard and drying as in Cahors wines. Next to a steak, Malbec shines.

Argentine Malbecs come in several styles. Malbec from cooler climates such as Salta and Patagonia make slimmer, spicier Malbec than the warmer Mendoza region. Price is also an indication: At $6 to $8, you can expect a fairly light Malbec.  At $8 to $12, Malbecs tend to be juicy, spicy, and fruity, with a little bit of vanilla from oak barrels. At $15 and above, you can expect a rich, dark, mouth-filling combination of fruit, spice, licorice, and oak all embedded in a luxurious texture.

If you’re looking for something completely different, try the French Tannat.  This grape, growing in southwest France and producing wines full of tannins, usually require aging to temper their aggressive taste.  Prices range from $8 to $40 or more. 

Tannat also grows in Uruguay, South America, courtesy of a nineteenth-century Frenchman who imported it. It makes tannic, earthy black wines here, too, which have been getting better in recent years as Uruguayan winemakers have become more quality-oriented. There are a couple available in the States, and they run about $11 to $20.

For a lighter wine meant for easier drinking, move on to the Gamay grape.  This French grape produces an easy drinking wine filled with cherry flavors and kept light and brisk by plenty of acidity.  Gamay is the main component of good Beaujolais, and the best of these will be labeled Beaujolais-Villages to mark them as grapes harvested from select vineyards.  To try the same grape with a heartier wine, look for wines labeled Brouilly, Chenas, Chiroubles, Cote de Brouilly, Fleurie, Julienas, Morgon, Moulin-a-Vent, Regnie, and St. Amour. Brouilly, Morgon, and Moulin-a-Vent in particular offer Beaujolais dark and rich enough to stand up to steak.

Besides the ubiquitous examples from Georges Dubouef, look also to small producers like Dupeuble, Janodet, and Thivin. Few will cost more than $20; most run more like $11.

For more information on wines go to VinoList - The Wine Database

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