Among the aspects I love most about wine are the journeys it takes you on: geographically, culturally and imaginatively. This Clos De Los Siete 2015 has made the trip from the Uco Valley, in the foothills of the Andes (just south of Mendoza in Argentina), to the shelves of Waitrose and Sainsbury’s. Quite the culture clash, I’m sure you’ll agree.
And the Clos De Los Siete’s ingredients are as intriguing as its geography. Because it’s not, as you might expect from this region, 100 percent Malbec. Oh no, it’s a Malbec-dominated blend. Comprising 58% Malbec, 23% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Syrah and 1% Petit Verdot, it’s like a cross-pollination between Argentina and Bordeaux.
To be frank, I have in the past found some mid-range Malbecs a touch one-dimensional, so I was excited to see how this concoction panned out…
As expected, the Cab adds to the Malbec’s smokey sweet tobacco notes and slightly chalky tannin texture, while the Merlot complements its blackberry and plum flavours. The Syrah and Petit Verdot presumably contribute a subtle amount of structure although, let’s face it, you’d have to be a bloodhound to gauge the latter’s effects at such small percentages.
There a delicate touch of oak in there too, while I’m pretty sure I also detected a hint of violet. The tannins are smooth yet firm, while the finish is long. Deep purple in colour and strong in alcohol, I paired it with… chocolate. Well, it’d seem impolite not to — plus I didn’t have any fillet steak lying around.
If you enjoy the plummy flavours and full body of Malbec, and the structure and finish of Bordeaux reds, this’ll be totally up your alley.
4 NINJA STARS
Clos De Los Siete Malbec 2015, £17 at Sainsbury’s and £16.30 at Waitrose. 14.5% volume. Vegan friendly.
Great post 😁
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