Crios Malbec red blend 2012

I'm not very familiar with either wine from Argentina or Malbec, so tasting this was a little outside of what I usually have. I have had some Malbec before, either from Argentina or California, but I haven't had enough of it to really form an opinion about it. I was interested in this bottle because in addition to 40% Malbec, it also has 40% Bonarda (plus 15% Tannat and 5% Syrah). I did a little research and I discovered that the grape called Bonarda in Argentina is known as Charbono in the US, where it's fairly uncommon. However, I have had Charbono before, at Sarah's Vineyard in Gilroy, and I really liked it.  This wine only cost about $14 at my local wine shop, so I thought it was worth a try, and it definitely wasn't a mistake.

The wine pours a pretty dark purple color, with a very fruity nose of stewed strawberries, vanilla, and orange peel. The nose made me think it would be bold and fruit forward, which is exactly right. The taste was fruity but not jammy. The wine is young, and it was pretty tannic, and there was a slightly bitter aftertaste. I had another glass after about an hour, but I couldn't tell that it opened up much, so I think you just get what you get from this wine. It was still very pleasant and easy to drink. I had it with beef tacos and it worked out well, and I'd guess this wine can be enjoyed with just about any meal.

My research on the varieties in this wine turned up that Malbec ("bad mouth" in French) is so-named because in its native Bordeaux, where it is one of the 5 permitted red varietals, it doesn't actually taste very good and so is grown in only very small amounts. It's not really known why Malbec was planted in Argentina, but it's good thing that a grape that doesn't get much love at home has become such an important part of wine growing in other parts of the world.