2016 Tall Dark Stranger Malbec

Well, this afternoon I was at the supermarket and I happened upon this wine, the 2016 Tall Dark Stranger Malbec, and it had such an interesting bottle, and it was on sale for $10, so I figured why not bring home a tall dark stranger for dinner?  I figured even though I'm probably not the exact demographic these wines are targeting, how could you really go wrong with a Malbec from Mendoza Argentina?  In any case, let's see how this wine tastes.

The wine is a bit lighter in color than many of the Argentine Malbecs I'm used to, not the dark brooding color that's so typical (perhaps this should have been a tall light stranger?).  The nose presents aromas of green grass, black cherry and violets, with just a hint of white pepper.  The taste is very fruit forward, with tart cherry, blackberry and blueberry that transitions to a bit of roast meat and green olive midpalate.  The tannins are young and tightly wound, providing for a sharp but very dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a 7.5, as it's a decent drinking Malbec and not overpriced at $10.  This wine would pair well with just about anything a gaucho would eat in Mendoza, and tonight I am enjoying this wine with a new cut of steak I recently discovered from my butcher, the chuck eye steak.  This cut is from the area right between the ribeye and the chuck, making it what many call, "the poor man's ribeye."  The nice part is that it typically well marbled and very flavorful for a steak that routinely sells for $5-7 a pound.  Tonight, I've grilled the Angus chuck eye rare on a bed of grilled leeks along with grilled broccoli rabe and a baked potato with sour cream and scallions.  Cheers!