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Alfredo Roca Mendoza Pinot Noir 2007

You might have to walk past this one a few times before you pick it up. The small black and white vineyard scene on the label depicts terroir, but it does so in a quiet way. You eventually pick up the bottle. After all, it's an affordable Pinot Noir, and you're curious about its roots in Argentina. Flipping to the back label, you read the description and discover this is one of Dan Kravitz' Hand Picked Selections. That closes the sale on the first of many bottles.

At any given time, if you find an importer that you can trust, that's great. If that importer is finding real bargains, you have a personal shopper. There are so many labels and so much good wine out there, a solid importer like Dan Kravitz can help you cut through a lot of clutter.

Alfredo Roca Mendoza Pinot Noir 2007 is a versatile red with nothing to hide. Though terroir is a difficult term to define, this wine embodies it. Beneath the bright garnet color, you begin to pick up some rocky overtones in addition to the prevailing black cherry, vanilla and roasted aromas that conspire to stimulate your appetite. Then plum and red currant preserves, herbal and earthy flavor notes carry through to a warm and rustic dry finish. There's a nice complexity here and not an overwhelming sense of oak or alcohol in the way of the fruit of the vines.

Good as a starter, you can pair this Pinot Noir with a wide variety of dishes. We can vouch for roast chicken, pork tenderloin medallions in a savory gravy, and pan grilled wild salmon. This sort of versatility makes it a candidate for the holiday table.

Price: $12 (Nashville). Closure: Nomacork. Alcohol content: 13%.

A Taste of Havana BC (Before Castro)? Hey Mambo Swanky White 2006 and Sultry Red 2006

Don Sebastiani and Sons has a new label out, and it captures the mood of the new wine buyer quite well. Hey Mambo is in step with young wine consumers who are just discovering what they like. The dynamic duo of winemaking, Richard Bruno and Greg Kitchens simply can't not make great wine for the money. And the Sebastiani marketing magic shows no signs of running out of steam.

There was a time when Havana was the world's playground, dwarfing Las Vegas. Anything went. People danced the Mambo and let loose of all inhibitions. Unfortunately, shortly after I was conceived, Havana went into a coma by way of Castro's "revolution". I must rely on the memories of my aunts and uncles, movies, books and interviews to get a sense of the sensuality that played itself out before New Years' 1959.

The Hey Mambo "Brand" is in its first year, vintage 2006, for both Swanky White and Sultry Red. The packaging is very successful, with the glossy "black and white and red all over" photographics case packaging, the screaming to-the-point label and the red "waxy" Zork closure.

The wines don't disappoint. Hey Mambo Swanky White 2006 is a category-defying fruity blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Muscat Canelli and Chenin Blanc. These are grapes that, for the most part, are known perhaps no better in the USA, than by Richard Bruno. Once quirky, now these grapes are becoming the staples of many so-called "alternative" whites, but fine-tuning them is a trick not every wine maker can pull off.

Swanky is an apt description. The nose is absolutely alluring, sexy, intoxicating, with its crosscurrents of honey, apricots, apples, ginger spice and cold blossoms. But then on the tongue, you are awakened from your stupor with a slap of citrus, the likes of grapefruit and lemon-lime, perhaps even green apple crispness. Another reason this wine is dead-on for the newcomers of wine is the finish. It's pretty much dry, but not DRY! The fruit is sweet, so the finish plays out in a way that makes friends of both the experienced and not-so-experienced taster.

Sultry Red is a blend of Barbera, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Carignane and Alicante Bouchet. In other words, this is a true, old-timey "field blend", albeit reinvented. Once again, this is the type of composition Richard Bruno is well acquainted with. "Bistro Style" is written all over the wine, as it is also captured in the small print on the front label. Imagine the glaze that will appear on the eyes of the guests you are pouring for, when you get to recite all six varieties that are contained within. No Cab, No Merlot? No kidding!

Hey Mambo Sultry Red 2006 is worthy of its burning hot name. The color is deep candy apple red. The aroma is Zin-like, a bit smoky like a Havana cigar, loaded with raspberry, loganberry, and redcurrant preserves, hovering over new leather club chairs. A bit of clove-y baking spice asserts itself on the tongue, as well as dusty cocoa and more of those sweet berries. The finish is dusty dry like the old vineyards land that bore the fruit.

Both wines' stats are identical, and either (or both) are capable of putting you "in the mood".
Price: $12 (Nashville). Closure: Zork. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Don and Sons have some great food pairing suggestions for these wines. I can vouch for Swanky White paired with USA-wild-caught shrimp quesadillas, and Sultry Red with free-range spicy chicken sausages with sundried tomatoes and herbs. In other words, get out the spice, the cheese, the onions, and go wild. If you're wearing a button-down shirt, unbutton it!

Carlos Pulenta Vistalba Corte C Malbec Blend 2005

Vistalba Corte C may not be flashy, or possess one of the Top 10 most creatively designed wine labels, but it has a great quality: finesse. In fact, it's truly sensual. The unassuming label and lack of "buzz" about Corte C could have led me to miss this one. Thankfully, sometimes I am attracted to the shy ones. This may be the finest Malbec I've ever enjoyed.

To be fair, I've never been too excited about Malbec. The ones from Argentina, that everyone else seems to rave about, are usually a bit rough around the edges for my palate. Maybe they're too intense, too rustic, or have too much earthiness (unless you're grilling Ostrich). My experience with French Malbec, from Cahors, is limited, but my impression has been along the same lines. Nonetheless, I keep looking for Malbecs that work for me.

Corte C could be mistaken for a beautiful top-notch Bordeaux from an excellent vintage, or an expensive Bordeaux blend from Napa. If you're looking for brawn, power, and a killer punch, in both hands, this isn't your wine. To the power seekers, "finesse" can be a code word for "wimpy". Therefore not everyone is going to "get" this wine. The power of Corte C is all under the hood; it innervates the brain rather than inebriating it. If you're in search of a claret that takes its time to make its point, grab this one.

Vistalba is a label of Carlos Pulenta, who has spared no expense in creating a gravity-fed winery with the majestic Andes as a backdrop. The pictures on the Carlos Pulenta web site make me want to stay there. The setting is ideal. Clearly, Mr. Pulenta has perfectionist tendencies, and a genuine wine aesthetic runs through his veins. He is from a wine family, and in fact, his former job was President and CEO of Salentein. Comparing the two Companies' web sites, I'm not surprised by this. The aesthetics are similar.

Expect a deep dark color in the glass, that gives way to complex aromas of raspberry and blackberry, plus mocha, cedar, and eucalyptus. On the tongue, vanilla kicks in to the mix, giving a creaminess and sweetness to the berry flavors and tannins, and making for a very smooth experience. This is a dry wine, but you might think it is a liqueur; it's that ripe in flavor and silky in texture.

To achieve finesse, it isn't necessary to buy an expensive monster of a first-growth and cellar it for years. Why risk all that money and time? This is certainly one of the finest Malbecs to be seen around Nashville. Although the label doesn't mention it, Corte C is 85% Malbec, with 15% Merlot blended in. Oak aging was in French barrels, but not heavy handed. Maybe that's the secret?

Price: $15 (Nashville). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 14%.

Toscolo Chianti 2004

Toscolo's ten buck Chianti tastes more American than a lot of its competition. But then, the USA is the target market for this 40,000 case label.

Importers Empson & Company represent such popular labels as Farnese, Monte Antico, A-Mano, and Teruzzi & Puthod.  Toscolo is their project.

Native New Zealander Neil Empson and his wife, Italian-American Artist Maria Gemma own Toscolo Winery in Pisa, where Franco Bernabei is Winemaker. Toscolo Chianti is the entry level of three Tuscolo Chiantis, and is 100% Sangiovese. Maria Gemma Empson designed the label. Tasting Notes.  Color: Bright ruby red with a slight purplish tint. Aromas: Loads of sour cherry and plums with persistent overtones of rose petals. The mouthfeel is light, tart, almost levitates on the tongue. Plummy and floral, herbal and minty flavors dissipate quickly in the simple clean finish. Closure: Real cork.  Excellent value ($10).

Alamos Mendoza Pinot Noir 2004

Alamos Mendoza Pinot Noir 2004 is 100% Pinot Noir, from Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina, made by José Galante. Winemaker José makes good use of the fruit, grown at 5000 foot elevation.

The aging was 9 months French. Native Italian Nicola Catena was the founder of Catena*, the Argentine Wine concern which produces the Alamos label. Tasting Notes. Color: Bright ruby red, transparent. Cherry, pomegranate, cinnamon and coffee aromas are backed by hints of vanilla. The mouthfeel is tart, a middleweight Pinot Noir, with moderate dusty tannins. The cherry and raspberry flavors are followed by oak spice as the wine finishes with a dry polished texture. Closure: Real cork. Excellent value ($9).

*Catena's website lists some interesting Argentina Wine Facts. For example, Argentina has the third largest wine consumption in the word, per capita.

Domaine Jean Bousquet Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Jean Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet, from Tupungato, Alto Gualtallery, at 4000 feet elevation. The soil is "rubble and sandy".

Originally farming in France, Jean Bousquet selected this location as ideal for employing "organic cultivation".  He uses no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. 90.5 points.  Color: Deep, dark warm crimson, semi-opaque. Aromas: Ripe cherry and black raspberry, backed by vanilla, oak spice, and gravel notes. The mouthfeel is medium-to-full-bodied, with substantial dry tannins. Red to black fruit flavors, hints of dutched cocoa and moderate acidity are well balanced. Dusty tannins and warm fruit flavors are long lasting in the finish. Production was 5000 cases.

Closure: Composite plastic cork.  Retail: $11. Value: Excellent.

Don Miguel Gascon Mendoza Malbec 2004

Don Miguel Gascon is one of a number of relatively inexpensive Argentine Malbecs now easily obtainable in grocery stores and wine shops across the USA.  Malbec is considered a minor blending grape in Bordeaux and elsewhere, and the vines can be difficult to manage in many places.

But in Mendoza (near the Argentina-Chile border), where it is grown at elevation, it does quite well in the vineyard, and produces successful 100% varietal wines. 88 points. Color: Deep purplish-crimson, semi-opaque. Aromas: Black fruit (black cherry, blackberry), vanilla, smoke, grilled meat, and mineral. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied, with moderate dry tannins, good acidity, and flavors of compote of black fruit, white pepper and cocoa. The finish evolves fruit and oak. The closure is a real cork. (A screw cap would be better.) Retail: $10. Value: Very nice.

Domaine Jean Bousquet Mendoza Malbec 2004

Jean Bousquet Malbec is 100% Malbec, from Tupungato, Alto Gualtallery, at 4000 feet elevation.  The soil is "rubble and sandy".

Jean Bousquet employs "organic cultivation" in its vineyards, using no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. 89.5 points. Color: Deep purplish-crimson, semi-opaque.  Aromas: Cherries, blackberries, vanilla oak, mineral/earth, and hints of meat. The mouthfeel is medium-to-full-bodied, with substantial but finely textured dry tannins and nice acidity. The dark cherry, chocolate and spicy vanilla oak flavors carry through the long finish. Closure: Plastic composite cork. (A screw cap would be better.) Retail: $11.  Value: Excellent.

Terrazas de los Andes Mendoza Malbec 2004

Terrazas de los Andes Malbec is 100% Malbec, grown 3500 feet above sea level. Aging was 6 months in 65% French/35% American oak, split evenly between new, 1-year, and 2-year-old barrels. 88.5 points. Color: Purplish-ruby semi-opaque. Aromas: Ripe cherry-raspberry jam, with hints of vanilla, spice, and toasty oak. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied and softly tannic. Jammy flavors of plum, cherry and pomegranate combine with sweet oak spice mid-palate, and the finish is abundantly fruity and easy. Closure: Real cork. (A screw cap would be an improvement.) Retail: $10.  Value: Excellent.

Tamari Reserva Mendoza Malbec 2003

Tamari Reserva Malbec is imported by Paterno Wines. The vinification included stainless steel fermentation and 7 months barrel aging in new French oak. Winemaker is Sergio Correa. 88.5 points.  Color: Deep dark purplish-ruby, semi-opaque. Aromas: Black cherry, blackberry, vanilla, cassia/spice, smoky scented oak, and hints of bacon. Ripe, soft, medium-bodied, dark fruit flavors evolve, along with some oak, on the warm finish. Closure: real cork. (Screw cap would be an improvement.) Retail: $13.  Value: Very Nice.