Variety: Malbec
Region: Mendoza, Argentina
Cost: $15
Winemaker’s Notes: A fierce red wine with bright berry flavors and a soft, lush texture. Pairs with Paella, grilled meats, and hearty stews.
My Review: Ok, cards on the table, I kinda bought this wine because of the name and label. Big Game of Thrones fan here (R+L=J…am I right?). That being said, when getting ready to grill up some steak on a nice early Fall day (the temperature wasn’t in the 80s finally), I wanted something to pair with it, and the 2014 Girl & Dragon Malbec caught my eye on the shelf while grabbing said steaks.
In the glass the wine a nice dark red color, and on the nose I picked up dark cherry notes that carried through to the palate and were joined by some plum and soft earth notes. Paired with steaks that I had been marinating for the better part of the day (soy sauce, worcestershire, salt, pepper, olive oil, and granulated garlic), some baked potatoes, and grilled asparagus it did a nice job. The cherry notes provided a slightly tart counter-note to the food, while the soft earth notes complimented it nicely.
So is this wine really worth it? The honest answer….meh. I’m not willing to say it was bad – far from it. It was a perfectly serviceable wine that I opened up on a Monday. I wasn’t looking for anything terribly fancy, but knew I wanted to avoid a fruit bomb, which this managed to do. Can you do better on a sub-$20 wine. Sure. Would I be mad if someone showed up at my house with a bottle of this to share around? Not at all.
