Variety: Malbec; Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina
Cost: $18 (SRP)
Winemaker’s Notes: Garnet in the glass, the wine exudes aromas of brambly boysenberry complimented by hints of antique rosewood and lavender. Immediately, the wine presents a rich entry of ripe red currant, hints of dark berries, and a subtle minerality which transitions into an elegant and lingering finish of thyme and sage.
My Review: Argentinian wine and steak – is there any better pairing? Opening up the bottle of Locations AR5 last week was precipitated by our Home Chef box containing a meal of steak with smashed red potatoes. The long week and a desire for wine didn’t hurt.
In the glass the wine was a beautiful garnet color, and on the nose I picked up lavender as the predominant note. In the mouth the wine showed red currants with a touch of minerality on the finish, all in a medium-bodied wine that held up well to the steak, but was nice to sip on by itself before and after the meal.
My only complaint about this wine is that it starts a bit hot and definitely needs time to open up and breath – the 14.0% alc/vol being the primary culprit there. My other, non-wine related complaint is the bottle. It’s thick and heavy with a deep punt. I increasingly find myself annoyed by wines that use thick, heavy glass beyond what’s necessary to secure the wine. Save the weight, and your shipping costs, and go with lighter materials.
All that being said, it’s a solid wine and a reasonable price. A good pick up for a weekend of firing up the grill for burgers or steak, but easy enough to sip on by itself.
Editor’s Note: I received this wine as a free sample for review.
