Purchased for $8.99 at retail, WA 90.  Popped and poured.  Deep purple, ruby on the rim.  Ripe, wild mountain berries immediately jump out of the glass followed by complex notes of earth, tar, underbrush and a wild, funky, almost gamy smell that's hard to pin. Although the aromas may turn some off I love them.  Medium to full bodied.  Just crisp and delicious in the way I so often have heard others describe good Malbec but rarely realize for myself.  Palate mirrors the ripe fruit on the nose but adds additional elements of tobacco leaf, brown sugar, and a touch of vanilla bean, all while maintaining the almost refreshing quality that is surely a sign of med. plus acidity.  But then again it's hard to tell, as the mineral laden finish pushes on with a lasting impression of the biting tannins.

More finesse than the majority of Malbec's out there, this is an example of Argentina's most renowned varietal that really shows it may have roots in Bordeaux after all (well...at least to me!).  Pair with steak frites or cellar 1-2 years to wait for the tannins to soften.