Decero, Malbec 2012, Remolinos Vineyard, Agrelo, Mendoza, Argentina

Tasting Note: Having previously enjoyed a petit verdot from Decero while dining at Azafran in downtown Mendoza, this center stage malbec does not disappoint.

This wine has intense purple color, strawberry taste, strong legs (which I adore), and a chalky aroma that finishes with pleasing acidity on the back of your tongue with red fruit washing away on the tip like a wave receding back into the ocean. Decero malbec embodies the best of what malbec has to offer. The assemblage of flavor, taste, and acidity make it a true pleasure and a well-equipped ambassador of the region.

I was previously wary of the Agrelo region compared to the more lauded Lujan de Cuyo and Uco Valley regions, but this wine proves my unfounded inclination misplaced. It is a pleasant surprise to find this wine in U.S. especially given how young the winery is.

I was walking in downtown New Haven during lunchtime and saw a distributor wheel in a box with the Decero logo into a local wine shop. I returned to the wine shop later that day and asked to buy a bottle which had yet to be put on the shelf. The clerk was a little taken back I had seen the box hand carted in earlier given that he had yet to prepare it for sale on the shelves.

While I secretly hoped the wine in the case would be the petit verdot I had enjoyed so much in Mendoza, I remain happy with my malbec find. I wonder what other grapes they used to round out the cuvee – perhaps my petit verdot craving has been unwittingly satisfied as a supporting mixing-grapes character in the blend.

Bottle Note: Decero: Born of a bare patch of soil in the foothills of the Andes true to the meaning of “decero” our wine like our estate have been handcrafted “from scratch.” Remolinos Vineyard, Agrelo: Located at 3,500 feed in the renowned Mendoza sub-appellation of Agrelo our one-of-a-kind Remolinos Vineyard takes its name from ‘remolinos’ – little whirlwinds which keep the grapes in perfect condition.  2012 Malbec: Handpicked March 21st – April 25th, this Malbec shows lifted violet aromas and pure red fruit flavors. Maturation for 14 months in French oak barrels leaves integrated tannins. Decero Malbec is a handcrafted expression of its unique site of origin.