2009 Reininger Walla Walla Malbec

Well, this one is a bit off the beaten path for me, as most who know me realize that I am just not a huge Malbec fan, as often these wines are just too rustic for my taste.  But the kind folks at Reininger were kind enough to send me two bottles of the 2009 Malbec for my wine club selection, so I figured I should at least try them right?

The wine was a deep garnet, edging toward purple in the glass.  The nose was quite rustic, almost woodsy, you know, that somewhat barnyard type aroma that some wines seem prone to, but this one wasn't as woodsy as some I've tried.  The taste however was a dramatic step in the right direction, with lovely tastes of dried fruit, some wonderful floral notes and a hint of leather.  The tannins were somewhat subdued, however the finish was still quite dry.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, mainly because it's a Malbec, and even though I thought this wine was fine, it did not convert me to a fan.  We had this wine with some wonderful Lucques olives from the Languedoc region of France and some Manchego cheese from Spain, and the spice of the cheese and richness of the olives really complemented the earthiness of this wine.  Cheers!