2013 Seven Hills McClellan Estate Malbec

Happy Labor Day!  So I've been working in the yard all day, after delivering a half ton of watermelons for my Church to hand out at the local parade, so now I am ready for dinner and a nice glass of wine.  I stumbled upon tonight's wine as I was perusing the cellar and the stained labels on this wine reminded me that I bought this on my great motorhome trip to Walla Walla in 2015, and on the way home as I was driving through a very smoky Hell's Canyon, a case of wine fell off the dinette seat and one bottle broke, staining the labels on the rest of the bottles in that case.  So I present a stained bottle of 2013 Seven Hills McClellan Estate Malbec!

The wine is deep and brooding, just as you'd expect from a nice Malbec.  The nose is an elegant combination of leather, smoke and ripe black fruit, with just a hint of lavender over the top.  The taste is classic Malbec, with a rush of blackberry, cherry and plum up front that transition nicely to some mineral notes of dusty limestone midpalate, with a nice bit of black peppery spice.  The tannins are very well integrated, for the long, smooth and velvety dry finish that seems to linger for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a Malbec that a Cabernet lover like me finds eminently enjoyable.  This wine practically screams to be paired with a steak (or any sword of beef from a Brazilian steakhouse), but it would also pair well with hearty braised short ribs, or even a classic lamb chop.  Tonight I am obliging the gauchos and enjoying this wine with a rare grilled Snake River Farms Wagyu Kansas City strip along with bacon roasted brussels sprouts and a big baked potato.  Cheers!