With the weather (finally) cooling in parts of the country, our meals and wines will begin to change. Whereas summer heat demands refreshing whites and light-footed reds, fall fare will want for a little more heft and a little more depth. Perfect timing for a transition to wines like malbec. Case in point is the Trapiche Medalla.
2017 Trapiche Medalla Malbec Mendoza $19 (Sample)
Made of 100% malbec grown at an altitude of close to 4000 feet in Tupungato. Predictably inky in the glass, but surprisingly expressive with floral aromatics and high-toned spices on the nose that reflect its new French oak regimen. Coy in the mouth; it needs time to blossom. Precise delivery of still tightly-wound red and blue fruit, and green vegetables framed by tightly-integrated tannins indicate longevity and greater accessibility in the coming years. As it benefits from air, the nose offers a preview of the complexity that awaits the patient consumer willing to cellar this well-made red that is clearly still in its infancy.
