Merry Christmas! It's been a rather subdued day, but now it's time for a beefy dinner, and what better wine to go with beef than a nice Malbec. Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2021 Reininger Malbec, which contains mainly Malbec (98%) with a touch of Petit Verdot (2%) harvested from Pepper Bridge (82%), Stone Valley (16%) and Seven Hills (2%) Vineyards in the Walla Walla AVA of Washington. Let's see how this wine is shaping up!
This wine has the classic look of Malbec, inky black with bright ruby along the edges. A gentle swirl of the glass and you're treated to aromas of green grass, olive tapenade and dusty limestone, with undertones of ripe blackberry and plum. The first sip is a rush of earthy minerality, graphite, basalt and limestone that open up into some lovely floral notes dancing between hints of ripe black fruit and peppery spice. The tannins are nicely structured, providing a long, smooth dry finish with a bit of acidity at the end.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as I don't think it quite measures up to the 2019 vintage, but there is still time for this one to develop. This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from burgers to barbecue, braised short ribs to chorizo tacos, but more than anything, this wine demands a big steak. And we're in luck, since tonight my Christmas dinner is a extra thick grilled ribeye along with wild mushroom farro and steamed asparagus with hollandaise. Cheers!
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