Wine Club 55: Spain and Peru in one night

Date: October 2nd, 2013
Host: Kim
Served: Lomo Saltado

TintoNegro Malbec 2011 (Mendoza, Argentina) 14% alcohol, $10 at Waterford

Kim says (14.5): After the fantastic tasting at Waterford, we came back to my place and it was a mad dash to throw dinner together. How appropriate... a night of Spanish wines and we start dinner at 8pm! Fortunately this meal (a spin on the traditional Peruvian lomo saltado) lent itself to exactly that... quick and easy throw-together! This Malbec was enjoyable... I liked the aroma and felt it was appealing but found it to be slightly off-balance with a thin body and overly strong tannins.

Christine says (15.5): Intense burgundy color, living up to Malbec's "black wine" reputation. Tobacco, red fruit, some mint and maybe dried strawberries in the bouquet. Subtle smell. It also had a hint of tires, which went away. Big body, round, good tannic grip, medium-long finish with herbal notes. Could taste the alcohol. Going back, I also smelled tomato stems. Sadly, it clashed with the meal. The cumin and other spices in the beef made this wine feel a little bit dirty. I had a glass the following night, and it definitely benefited from being open a longer time.

Andrea says (12): Dark and nearly opaque burgandy color, bright pink around the edges. Very light aroma. Mild fruity aroma. Jammy, with raspberry and yeasty notes. After sitting for a while, the wine developed a plastic, dirt, asphalt, rubber smell that really put me off. The taste was mostly of alcohol and some berry flavors. I think that my low score was mostly the result of asphalt stink. The food was terrific, but this wine didn't compliment it very well.


Cline Zinfandel 2012 (Lodi, CA, USA) 14% alcohol, $10 at Waterford

Kim says (16): Mmm! Although this wine was also a little thin, I felt it was well balanced... and it happened to be a better match with the meal. I very much enjoyed this (thank you, Christine- for leaving the bottle)!

Christine says (15.5): Pretty ruby color. Strawberries and some stemminess, with a hint of orange. Nice round, fruity flavor, herbally cedar taste, definite blueberries and some red fruit. Yum! Shorter finish. Very good with the meal; would also be good with chili.

Andrea says (17): Burgandy, fushia color. Smelled great! Vanilla, cake, sweet jam, and citrus. Smooth and sweet on the tongue. Spicy taste, a little pepper flavor. Blueberry and still a little bit of cake flavor. Very good with the steak.

Christine says: What an awesome meal. And we were hungry, getting a late start due to a wine tasting we got to attend at Waterford Wine Company. We were treated to a tour of Spain. Highlights to me were (the runaway favorite) a 1970 Rioja that's older than all of us, and the much more affordable and totally awesome Lusteau sherry. Damn good stuff. No one escaped without ordering at least one bottle! The tasting was educational, funny and fun. The only bad part was having to drink $10 wine with our dinner after being spoiled on these:

Heredia Vina Cubillo Riserva Rioja $21.99
Hacienda Monasterio Ribera del Duero $49.99
Condes de Albarei Albarino $12.99
1970 Valdemar Gran Reserva Rioja $189.99
Nit de Nin Priorat $89.99
Recaredo Brut Nature Cava $34.99
Juan Gil Monastrell Jumilla $16.99
Navaherreros Granacha de Bernabeleva La Mancha $22.99
1998 Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva Blanco Rioja $38.99
Lustau East India Solera Sherry $19.99