Deep purple color; red plum, blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, chocolate, vanilla, black tea, pepper, violets on the nose and palate.
Dry (2.8 g/L RS); supple, fine-grained tannins; relaxed balancing acidity (3.50 pH; 5.36 g/L TA). Medium body. Very smooth, velvety easy drinker. Deftly done oak contributes plush mouthfeel. Good length for malbec, especially at this price point. 14% ABV
The grapes come from Trapiche’s high-altitude vineyards in the Uco Valley, specifically from the La Consulta and Chacayes sub-regions. Elevations exceed 4,100 feet, which engenders extreme diurnal shifts that preserve acidity and helps develop complex flavors. Grapes are hand-harvested and destemmed. Three days of maceration is followed by 18 days of temperature-controlled fermentation using wild yeasts. Wine aged 14 months in 80% French and 20% American oak barrels and second/third use foudres.
Trapiche is one of the oldest brands in Argentina (established in 1883) and is Argentina’s largest exporter of premium wines, selling in more than 80 countries. The winery produces wine in all price ranges. Many Trapiche grapes go into grape concentrate, which helps make Argentina the leading grape concentrate producer in the world. This is their second tier effort (behind Gran Medalla), making it more of an everyday, easy drinker. Plenty of dark fruit to enjoy.
The Argentine Bemberg family purchased the winery in 2010 from the Penaflor Group/Pulenta family, keeping ownership and control in Argentina. Trapiche has almost 3,000 vineyard acres in the foothills of the Andes Mountains and purchases additional fruit from more than 300 independent growers. It has a dramatically beautiful winery and tasting room. Sergio Eduardo Casé is the chief winemaker. He is a fourth generation winemaker who got his start at age 13 making sparkling wine at his father’s side in Mendoza. He worked in Pommerol, Bordeaux, Champagne, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and Languedoc-Roussillon, in France; Tuscany, in Italy; and Napa Valley in the United States prior to joining Trapiche in 2000.
In the U.S., Trapiche is distributed by The Wine Group LLC, based in Livermore, California. Other brands in The Wine Group portfolio include Chloe, Big House Wine Company, Cupcake, Franzia, Almaden, Corbett Canyon, Concannon, MD 20/20, and others. So this should have wide availability.
Trapiche Tesoro Malbec, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 2021 is specifically created by Trapiche for global export. It delivers impressive complexity, concentration, and structure. It is a showcase for Mendoza’s celebrated Uco Valley, especially its high-altitude vineyards. Generous fruit and drinkability are hallmarks of Trapiche’s malbec mastery. Excellent value. $12-18
Pairing—Argentine-style dishes, sirloin steak with chimichurri sauce, Asado beef ribs, grilled flank or skirt steak, beef empanadas; barbecued ribs with smoky sauce, beef tacos, meat-based braises and stews; venison and other wild game; roasted pork loin; dark turkey meat, rotisserie chicken; roast leg of lamb, lamb chops with herb crust, lamb tagine with prunes. Pasta with mushroom sauce, wild rice and mushroom-stuffed peppers, baked eggplant, eggplant parmesan, roasted red peppers. Cheese—Blue cheeses are classic, milder, creamier styles of gorgonzola, stilton, roquefort; aged cheddar (18-plus months), Murray’s Stockinghall, Milton Creamery Flory’s Truckle; smoked cheddar; aged gouda; provoleta (grilled or oven-melted provolone seasoned with oregano, olive oil, red pepper flakes).
