Price: $8.47 at Total Wine

Style: The “Tom”

Rating: “Really Good”

Recommendation: “Grab a few bottles”

Review:

Now we’re talking! This was a huge improvement over the Ruta 22 and the Atrevida. A much stronger and more varietaly correct nose greets you with smoked meats, dark berries, cracked black pepper, and woody scents. This feels more like a “Malbec” than just a generic “red blend”. On the palate, the fruits are more accentuated with dark sweet plums leading the way, supported by more of the smoky oak.  It is fairly smooth and well balanced with a bit of grippy tannin on the mid-palate fading into more juicy acidity on the finish. The tannins (dryness) really loosen up with some air, so I’d recommend letting this one breath for a few hours to get the most out of it. We enjoyed ours much more on the second day. I really enjoyed this and since it falls well under $10, I’d definitely pick up a couple bottles.

Winemaker Notes
Following hand-harvesting, the grapes for our Malbec were cold soaked for up to four days prior to fermentation to maximize the extraction of their deep violet color. Fermentation occurred in upright tanks for one week at a maximum temperature of 85°F. The juice remained in contact with the skins for up to three weeks to foster optimal flavor development. After primary fermentation, this wine underwent malolactic fermentation to create a smooth, round mouthfeel. Seven months of oak influence imparted subtle brown spice notes. (http://www.escorihuelagascon.com.ar/en/winebook/don-miguel-gascon/USA )

More info:

Produced by Escorihuela Gascon, which has been making wine in the Mendoza region since 1884. (http://www.escorihuelagascon.com.ar/en/inicio)

They make dozens of different wines around the world at several different quality levels, but it looks like the Don Miguel Gascons are the only ones available in the US right now.

Their onsite restaurant “1884 RESTAURANTE” was named one of the 50 best restaurants in the world by “Latin America’s 50-Best Restaurants 2014”.