As a single varietal, Malbec has grown in popularity thanks to Argentina.  You can also find it in Cahors, France where Cahors grows Malbec.  When you see Cahors on the label, you know it is Malbec.

I don’t have much experience with Malbec but when I first tasted this Martha Clara Vineyards 2007 Malbec ($24) when I visited Martha Clara it captured my attention and was the clear favorite from my tasting that day.

On the nose I was picking up jam like juicy berries with hints of prune and plum, baking spice, cocoa powder, violets and hints of banana skin and some mint leaf.

The palate brought flavors that reminded me of black tea leaf, black pepper and fruit compte.  Plum and grilled fig with hints of tobacco and earth.

Big gripping tannins with nice acidity made this wine a delicious pairing with a grilled flank steak.

The finish brought some sweet vanilla with hints of baking spice.

This offering from Martha Clara vineyards was only offered to those in their wine club, which it usually only is mainly because of the low production of Malbec.  If you happen to get you hands on this save it.  Let it age a little in the bottle.  You will not be disappointed.

Furthermore, from what I have heard, Malbec will be back at Martha Clara with the 2010 vintage.  That is fantastic news — if you are a wine club member.

Sláinte!

Malbec is a dark purple grape that is used mainly as part of a blend when making red wine.  It is known to add very dark and rich color to wine and have wonderful big tannins, which enhance wine.  It is found in southwest France and is known in that region at Côt noir.  However, the popularity of the grape has caused an increase in production in Argentina, where if you walk down the South American isle of you wine shop you will see this varietal from almost every vineyard.

The grape is in need of sun to ripen, more so than heat.  It ripens mid season.  It is known to bring plum like flavors and floral aromatics like violet to wine.  It is blended often with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but you will also see it blended with Cabernet Franc, mostly in the Loire Valley and in Bordeaux style blends.

Her on Long Island, there are a number of Vineyards that grow Malbec.  It is not often that you see a Malbec release from such a vineyard.  It is usually fermented in oak, usually for two years at least, if not more.  Most vineyards will not release a Malbec unless it was a prime season, and 2005 was.

This is from Rich Olsen-Harbich, “The 2005 vintage was the driest growing season on Eastern Long Island in almost 60 years.  Rainfall from May through October 1 totaled approximately 7 inches – the average for the region during this same period is approx. 15-19 inches.  The dry conditions combined with steady, warm temperatures provided us with extremely ripe and concentrated fruit and a harvest season that began 2 weeks earlier than normal.”  2005 was known as one of the best on Long Island, sine 2001, but the 2007 season will far surpass that.

In the glass, you could see the dark inky color that you typically see in a malbec.  There were big juicy dark berries on the nose; I was falling in love with the bouquet of this wine. The berries we very prominent, Blackberry all the way.  I was also picking up some leather and tobacco, it reminded me of opening up my humidor to have a cigar, when I used to smoke them.I was tasting this with Rich, the first word that came to mind was comfort.  I saw a warm soft blanket.  I felt as if I could wrap myself with this wine.

The taste was so welcoming and just warmed me to my bones.  There were some of the dark berry notes, but the plum notes were so heavy.  It truly was like taking a bite from a juicy plum.  There were some earthy notes on the palate, which enhanced the warmness of the wine.  There was a spice element too that was helping make this a complex and satisfying wine.

This was a full-bodied wine and had a wonderful velvety mouth feel that kept me wanting more.  I had this with a grilled flank steak and baked potato.  It went so well.

This is a wine for a big appetite, but unfortunately, this is not available to purchase.  It was and may still be available to wine club members.  If you ever, ever have a chance, join their wine club.  Raphael only produced 80 cases of this jewel.  It retailed at $30.00, and to me it was more like $40.00, if not more.

I was a Malbec fan before this, but now I am a Malbec groupie because of this Raphael 2005 Malbec.

If you see a vineyard offer Malbec on their tasting flight, then go for it, take a taste or a glass, and if you like it, buy a bottle.  If may be on the more expensive side, but you will be satisfied the next time you open it.

Better yet, join Raphael’s wine club and you may get this wine or another Malbec in the future.

I am hoping that more vineyards grow and bottle Malbec.  It is a wine that can happen here on Long Island, and it can be done perfectly, as Raphael has with this wine.

First a little history about Yellow + Blue, from their website.  They are 100% certified organic estate grown fruit.  They do every thing by hand.  They are also interested in removing as much of their carbon footprint as possible.  That further explains their packaging.  The box is a Tetra Pac, there is six layers of paper board, aluminum foil and plastic that bind together to protect the wine from air and light.  Another thing, Yellow + Blue get their name from what Yellow + Blue equal, Green, which is what they are all about.

According to Yellow+Blue, the packaging is useful and positive not only for removing their carbon footprint but it helps in their transportation on their wine.  In all cases of wine, there is  a 50/50 split between wine and packaging.  A case of wine weights about 40 pounds and hold 9 liters of wine.  Now a case of Yellow + Blue weighs 26 pounds and hold 12 liters of wine.  That’s 95% wine and 5 % packaging.

Enough about their packaging and what they are about, you can read more on their web site (I don’t want to become repetitive).  On to the tasting.  Upon twisting the cap and the first pour, there were wonderful aromas of prune, plum, cherry, some spice and leather I got a little toffee on the nose.  On the palate it was tannic and there was way too much alcohol.  I did not get any fruit.  This, of course was do to the wine not open long enough to aerate.

About an hour later, there were more of the same aromas, but then the fruit started to show.  The tannins were much softer, there were some ripe berry and some grilled fig with nice plum flavors.  This finish was nice, with a medium bodied feel.  There was a nice spice finish that lingered and was very pleasant.

I had this wine with a grilled skirt steak and a spinach salad.  It went perfectly.  There was such a compliment and balance between the wine and meal.  Following the dinner, the wine was still getting better.

This is 100% Malbec grape.  They are hand harvested.  A 12 hour maceration is performed before fermentation.  The wine is fermented in a temperature controlled tank with indigenous yeast.  Additional settling and aging is done in tank and it is filtered, slightly, before they bottle.  It does not mention if this wine was in an oak barrel, so I assume no.

According to wine writer Tyler Coleman, aka Dr. Vino, ““Unlike most box wines that have little to distinguish them other than the packaging, this wine has good poise and intensity with berry, plum and herbal freshness. Because it’s a third more than a regular bottle, this is a crazy-good value.”

The only down fall to the tasting was my toung  getting a bit numb.  But I would recommend this Malbec to anyone new or old to malbec.  I love a good malbec and this is a good malbec, not only because of the price ($13.95 at wine shop).  There is no romance in this “bottle”, no sexiness either, but it has lots of flavor and a nice personality.   I would consider bringing this to my friends house for dinner and watching their reaction.  Yellow + Blue = Green for 2 reasons, one for the environment and the other because you will see more in your pocket.