After a long hiatus brought on by a cross country move I am thrilled to report that the Cork Scrooge is not only back, but he is back home in California! Let the imbibing begin!
This week I made a quick run to Costco to stock up on a new batch of superb sub $15 reds and boy, let me tell you, I had forgotten just how good the California Costco wine selection is compared to the paltry selections offered at most East Coast locations. The first bottle to fall prey to my nifty rabbit cork screw certainly did not disappoint and I would bet is in the running for a spot on this year’s top value red list.
The 2009 Dona Paula Estate Malbec came highly regarded. Robert Parker teed up my taste buds by bestowing a 91 point rating on the 2009. Writing of the Menodza Malbec Parker notes that the wine offers “a pinched bouquet that takes some coaxing, but there are some lithe cassis and black plum fruits with a touch of garrigues developing with aeration…” And while I honestly have no idea what that means what I can tell you is that this wine was a superb surprise in every way.
As the wine poured into the glass, deep violet colors sloshed about releasing an inviting scent that offered the first sign of things to come. As I tasted the first glass of wine the initial smoothness quickly rolled away leaving in its place a nice tight dryness the Mendozan varietal is known for. With the tannins slowly wrapping themselves around your taste buds, the smoothness returned once again, this time accentuated by a light spiced flavor that leaves you wanting to delve deeper into the second glass.
As the wine opened up, the plum, dark cherry and light vanilla flavors took center stage delivering an incredibly enjoyable $11 Argentinean Malbec. I would encourage you to let this one breathe for 15 minutes before diving in.
As my mother-in-law said as we enjoyed the second glass over dinner, this wine was definitely “yummy” and for the price you can’t wrong. Be sure to chill the wine for about 15 minutes in the refrigerator before serving to bring it down to the proper temperature in the hot summer months (remember red wine should be enjoyed at around 58-62 degrees). Enjoy!
The Cork Scrooge 
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