Wine of the Week Texts and visuals ©Hannu Lehmusvuori
Sniffing - animated



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MALBEC 1996

Bodega J. y F. Lurton & Bodegas Escorihuela
Mendoza, Argentina
47.40 mk ~$ US 8.85


I notice that I've grown more and more fond of these flying Bordeaux boys, the Lurton brothers, and especially of the malbec grape. This variety climbs higher and higher in my mind, and is already trodding in the front row with tempranillo and cabernet sauvignon. It's a question of plentiful tastes - and such a power that warms up both one's mind and one's palate.

I have been positively surprised by this particular wine before. When sold it is always young, but the taster has a feeling of having something more mature. Malbec's deep, dark hues give you a jolt. Especially now, with the annual Noveau disappointment well behind, it's joyous to uncork such a young wine that already has the gait of a man and the warmth of a woman.

Sniffing this very dark wine you get a fleeting sense of rich fruit. Though your nose experiences the power, it is also easily numbed by the 13.3% vol. But the taste is round and robust with enough grape to conquer your palate and to stay there. If one compares this wine with the Luigi Bosca of a fort-night ago, the malbec at hand is ofcourse cleaner and much more produced, but also more readily approachable.
A nice warmer during these cold nights. Anim.