Variety:Â 100% Malbec
Region:Â Mendoza, Argentina
Cost: $13 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes:Â An impressive wine to the sight, due to its marked reddish hues. In the nose, it has a medium to high intensity, with prevailing fruity aromas such as ripe cherries and sour cherries. It also shows floral notes such as red roses. In the mouth, it has a persistent flavor and is markedly balanced, with remembrances of recently picked grapes. Wonderful alongside pastas with light sauces (i.e., pesto) and bright, fresh salads.
My Review: I suspect you’re starting to notice a theme about my last few posts, but it’s officially Rose’ season in my house, although, full disclosure, it’s 70 and rainy as I write this, but whatever. Ok, so about 10 days ago I had a group of Rose’ wines show up on my doorstep, and this was the first one that my wife and I dived into, because it was actually hot outside when we opened and it….rose’!
In the glass the wine was a fairly dark shade of pink, and on the nose I picked up floral notes and cherry. In the mouth the wine was medium-bodied (for a rose’), with the cherry flavors carrying all the way through to the end with just a touch of sour cherry coming in to join the mix with some rose creeping up the back of the nose when I exhaled after a sip.
We paired the wine with one of our favorite summer dishes – pasta with shrimp, feta, and chives. It’s light, tangy, refreshing, and a great summer meal option. The 2015 Alta Vista was a good pairing. The sour cherries that crept in at the end pairing well with the natural tanginess of the dish to create something that was light and refreshing on an otherwise oppressively hot day.
For $13 I think this is a great value, which is, of course, one of my big criteria for wine. While this may not make you rethink rose’ as a type of wine, if you’re already a fan of it, this certainly won’t change your opinion. We have a lot of hot weather ahead of us, so stock up on rose’ while you can, including ones like the 2016 Alta Vista.
Editor’s Note: I received this wine as a free sample for review.
