I’ve previously had cabernet sauvignon from Argentina and I’ve certainly had plenty of malbec from Argentina. But this is the first time I’ve had a 50/50 blend of cabernet sauvignon and malbec from Argentina, or from any other region for that matter.
The idea of it had me curious what it would be like. You’ve got the cabernet sauvignon, known for being bold and assertive and you have the malbec, known for being plush and juicy. What would be the result when they come together?
Of course on top of the expected characteristics you have many other factors, such as the ripeness of the grapes and the winemaking techniques. And in this case, based on the characteristics of the wine, I would guess the grapes were harvested on the early side of ripeness — it has some vegetal aromas suggesting that. And in the winemaking they spiced it heavily.
All of that sounds like a critique and it is, yet I wouldn’t say this is a “bad” wine. It just wasn’t produced in a style that shows me the full potential of a blend like this. It is one I know many of my readers would enjoy. It’s intense, it’s bold, it’s fruity and it’s big.
Spice aromas are the dominant feature on the nose of this wine, with intense vanilla, black pepper and toasted oak showing up strong. There’s also some fruit, such as cherry, strawberry and blackberry beneath the spice, as well as some vegetal notes. On the palate the fruit takes over, delivering big black cherry, blackberry and plum flavors. There’s clearly some residual sugar here too with a touch of sweetness to that fruit. The acidity is adequate. The mouthfeel is OK. The fruit flavors linger on the finish.
Wine: Trivento, Argentinian Blend, Cabernet-Malbec
Variety: 50% cabernet sauvignon, 50% malbec
Vintage: 2016
Alcohol: 13%
Rating: 84
Price: $11.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
