Part of the fun in going to Argentina is of course going to the wine country in Mendoza province, just east of the Andes. Because we're insane, we went shopping this weekend for Argentinean malbecs, of which I didn't have too many before today. We've loved Argentine malbec for years - it all started with one bottle of Mariposa [now Tapiz] five years back - and although there have been some disappointing ones [Trapiche, El Felino] there have also been utterly unforgettable ones [the Cobos we had in San Diego last January, ironically made by the same man that made El Felino].
Here's what we plan on drinking before getting to Argentina - we're hoping to get a feel for what we like best, and go see those places first.
2003 Zolo $11
2002 Catena $20
2002 mapema $19
2002 Bramare $28
2002 Norton reserve $12
2002 Ricardo Santos $14
2002 Alta Vista Grande Reserve, Las Compuertas $22
2003 Ñandú Malbec $10
2004 Dominio del Plata, Crios, Rosé of Malbec $10
2001 Catena Alta Malbec $37
2002 Vale la Pena $27
2003 Valentin Bianchi Particular $26
2003 Valentin Bianchi Famiglia $13
2003 Auka $13
2003 La Posta del Viñatero $13
2002 Dominio del Plata, Susana Balbo $25
2003 Dominio del Plata, BenMarco $20
2002 Clos des Andes $14
2003 Los Terrazas Reserve $16
2002 Ricardo Santos $10
2002 Bodegas J. F. Lurton Reserva $10
2003 Terra Rosa $11
2002 Luis Correas, oaked $9
2003 Elsa $8
2002 Doña Paula Selecciòn de Bodega (Argentina) $30
2002 Montmayou $10
... and other Argentinians ...
2002 Luca syrah $30
2004 Bodega La Rural Trumpeter malbec-syrah, Familia Rutini, $10
2003 Tikal Patriota [bonarda-malbec], $20
