Friday, September 10, 2010

Pascual Toso Malbec 2009

We received a present from a neighbour last weekend, a Pascual Toso Malbec 2009 from Mendoza, website here. After being opened and decanted for about an hour and a half we tucked in. Immediately we were impressed. There was some nice plummy fruit, delicate tannins and a long finish, this was a very well balanced wine; reasonably fruit forward in a New World style but with some lovely structure to balance it out.

If you are having a steak or like your Malbecs then you will not go wrong with this wine.

About two weeks ago I picked up a few disparate bottles in Superquinn, Blackrock. We drank the last of these last night. It was a Vina Albali Gran Reserve 1999 (€6). When I bought it I said "This wine is probably very tired... and priced to move, but you never know".

I hate to say I told me so, but I was not wrong. This wine was tired, with not a lot going for it, some fading fruit and vanilla flavours and a sharp, and slightly unpleasant taste on the finish. Herself liked it, but there's no accounting for taste, she married me after all.

**Update - Nov 12 2010 - Saw this Malbec in Donnybrook Fair for €9-99. A steal!


5 comments:

  1. Haha! Stonking close out line.

    Nice one, I must try that Pascual Toso Malbec again, they did a decent Sauvie a few years back as well.

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  2. I had Toso Malbec at Fenns Quay restaurant a few weeks back in Cork. Excellent! I had lamb and the girlfriend had steak.

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  3. I suspect it would go well with steak, or any red meat...

    Willie

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  4. My Son just got back from honeymoon in Argentia,
    brought back a bottle of Pascual Toso,2008 Malbec, Alta Reserva, excellent,relieved that it is available locally.
    Do you know any stockists in D6

    Brendan K

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  5. Brendan,

    You're (probably) not a million miles away from Donnybrook Fair and their wines are generally pretty decent...

    Willie

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