Greetings and Salutations! I hope everyone enjoyed a safe and happy Memorial Day! After a two-year sabbatical driven by the demands of a pesky law practice, the needs of deserving legal clients and the ongoing support of three beautiful but high-maintenance women in my life, your humble Sleuth is happy to report that he is back with laptop in hand, ready to resume the quest of bringing great wines to the attention of fellow wine sleuths on a regular basis! Many things have changed since early 2021, but needs of the discerning wine consumer to source great value wines for reasonable prices have not. This is where The Wine Bargain Sleuth comes in!

I just returned from a trip to South America, with stays in Argentina and Chile. Four days in the Argentinian wine capital of Mendoza inspired me to report back to my favorite wine sleuths about the brilliant Malbecs (and others!) that I was able to sample and some of the wineries that produce this terrific Big Red varietal that Argentina is known for.

Perhaps before we go to the Mendoza report a bit of context may be appropriate. In the decade since I started The Wine Bargain Sleuth, prices of domestic US wines, and particularly those in Napa Valley, have climbed alarmingly. in 2012, it was not ludicrous for a savvy wine consumer to find a quality Napa Chardonnay for under $15 or a decent Paso Robles Cab for $20 or so. A quick review of the archives of this blog will demonstrate my point: Chapter 4 features a good scoring Bogle Chardonnay for $10, while Chapter 10 highlighted a 90 point Liberty School Cab from Paso Robles for $12. If you have searched your favorite fine wine purveyor recently for a decent Napa Cab, you are fairly certain to experience bottle shock in a sticker price sense. Ouch!

As time has passed, our definition of a Value Wine price point has similarly crept up from $15 to $25, primarily to realistically evolve with the market prices of quality wines. And even a $25 price point can be tricky if you love domestic Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Accordingly, other producers such as the State of Washington and the South American countries of Chile and Argentina are certainly worth a look as alternatives to make your wine budget go further in these inflationary times in which we find ourselves.

Mendoza Highlights.

A May trip to Mendoza means that late fall has reached South America, with the resplendent reds, oranges and ambers of the color palette decorating the grape leaves as winter approaches. Despite the 90’s temperatures that already have reached North Texas, I was able to don a light jacket for visits to the Mendoza vineyards, a delightful turn of events! In our brief stay in Mendoza we were able to wrangle visits to boutiques Michelini i Mufatto in Tupungato and Familia Zaina in Tunuyan, picturesque Claroscuro in Tunuyan, local favorite Bodega Caelum in Lujan di Cuyo, ultra high end producer Matervini in Lujan de Cuyo and large producer Martino in Maipu. This is in addition to a visit to the terrific Malbec Winestore near our hotel and sampling multiple Malbecs with every dinner in Argentina. Now that, my friends, is commitment, and as always the Sleuth is here for you!

For those considering a visit to Argentina and Mendoza in particular, each of the wineries we were able to enjoy was within an hour or so of central Mendoza, and each showed its unique terrior of the various vineyards. One could think of Mendoza as a blend of Napa Valley with the climate and topography of New Mexico, and each of the vineyards surrounding Mendoza had an altitude of 3200 to 7000 feet above sea level. The picturesque Andes mountain range frames the western border of Argentina dramatically, as Chile lies on the other side of the massive mountains. The hospitality of the Mendoza residents was remarkable and warm, the local grass-fed beef was delicious (I felt myself starting to chew my cud after the relentless beef assault on my digestive system) and the Malbecs and Cabernet Francs in particular were world class!

One final tip is that due to the timing of the growing seasons south of the equator, South American wines are actually a season ahead of their US counterparts. This is a really helpful thing to remember when one’s significant other (in my case, Mrs. Sleuth) suffers a sensitivity to the strong tannins of a young Big Red. I am happy to report that she enjoyed the Malbecs and other Argentinian wines that were tasted in Mendoza as much as I did, and I believe this is one of the reasons.

Value Wine No. 1: TRAPICHE BROQUEL MALBEC 2020

This Argentinian high-volume producer nevertheless maintains high quality in each offering I sampled. The Trapiche Broquel 2020 is an elegant expression of Malbec, with a profile of both red and black fruits with minerality and a hint of smoke at the lingering finish. You can take it to the bank when pairing this with a charcoaled ribeye or strip steak. Make mine medium rare, please! Widely available for $15 or so, this South American Big Red will give a fair number of Napa Cabs costing 3 times that amount a run for their money. Wine Guru James Suckling awarded a stout 92 on this Value Wine, remarking that it is “…medium to full bodied with firm, silky tannins. Succulent and delicious.” I recommend that you pick up several bottles for enjoying now and a few more to put down for a couple of years. The Trapiche Broquel Malbec 2020 is a true Value Wine, even under our original price standards! Cheers!

Value Wine No. 2: PEJU SAUVIGNON BLANC 2021

This is a shout out to Peju’s amazing winemaker Sara Fowler and her continued quality of product. Our blog first recommended the Peju Sauvignon Blanc back in 2013, and today it remains quite literally one of the official Pool Wines of the Casa — not a small thing in North Texas blazing summers–along with the singular KrisTodd Rose. This particular 2021 vintage of this elegant Peju Sav Blanc is described as having vibrant aromas of citrus and and tropical fruits that jump from the glass. It is delicious and refreshing from the first aroma to the velvety finish! Hints of lime, passion fruit and apricot describe this multi-layered White. One bottle is simply not enough–buy 3! James Suckling bestowed a strong 91 rating here, and I would probably go higher on my highly unscientific but passionate rating system. Widely available for around $24, this one should be in your cellar! Cheers!

Worth a Splurge Wine: EL ENEMIGO GRAN ENEMIGO GUALTALLARY CABERNET FRANC 2019

This Chapter’s Worth a Splurge Wine was chosen for several good reasons, but let’s start by debunking two USA wine truisms that are inaccurate: (i) Argentinian wines are really just inexpensive entry level wines; and (ii) Argentinian wines are pretty much limited to Malbecs and blends. The stellar El Enemigo Gran Enemigo Gualtallary Single Vineyard 2019 offering is neither. First, this wine is a world class Big Red, and in fact this wine is the highest rated South American wine in recent memory, if not ever. The likes of both Wine Advocate and James Suckling awarded this Big Red beauty a perfect 100 point rating. Or to rephrase, the legendary Cabernet Franc Bordeaux varietal simply just doesn’t get any better than this! Also, many wine enthusiasts would be surprised that a non-Malbec varietal is produced at this level in Argentina, including yours truly. But tasting is believing. We also sampled 3 other offerings of El Enemigo at the above-pictured Malbec Winestore in Mendoza with our new wine amigo Ezekiel, and both the Cabernet Francs and the Malbec were all extremely well done and very good. Originally offered for $100, my suspicion (confirmed by a quick web search) is that the current market price of the Gran Enemigo Gualtallary has probably doubled, if you can even get it in the US, which is typical of a multiple 100 point rated Big Red. But the price point is in my view less important than the point that we American consumers should broaden our horizons to look harder at the delicious wines of Argentina, particularly with the inherent value that they offer! And for those determined sleuths that want to get their hands on this trophy wine, then reach out to Mendoza’s Malbec Winestore and ask for Ezekiel! Tell him the Sleuth sent you!

Thought for the Day:  More Classic Wine Quotes.

It’s time to bring these back for your edification.   Enjoy!

“My only regret in life is that I didn’t drink more wine.“
Ernest Hemmingway

“Wine can of their wits the wise beguile, Make the sage frolic, and the serious smile.“
Homer

“What wine goes with Captain Crunch?“
George Carlin

[Note from the Sleuth–I love the last quote, as one of my most frequently asked questions during the COVID Pandemic was “Can you recommend a good breakfast wine?” The answer, of course, is Champagne!]

 Until next month– Cheers!

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