09 December 2013

Snooth Argentina Tasting with Doña Paula

A while back, I got the chance to rejoin my friends from Snooth.com for an online tasting of wines from Doña Paula of Argentina. Founded in 1990, the winery offers a range of about a dozen wines.

2012 Doña Paula Estate Chardonnay
Valle de Uco
100% Chardonnay
$15, 14.1% abv.

The white wine has peach and floral notes, a round body, and brassy acidity. It would be great with roast duck, where the acidity would cut through the rich fat of the skin.

2011 Doña Paula Estate Torrontés
Valle de Cafayate
100% Torrontés
$15, 13.5% abv.

Tropical fruits, nice hint of pineapple, mineral base, medium acidity, stony. Dried fruit finish. Torrontés is an interesting grape and one that deserves a lot more attention. This one would be perfect with a nice crisp salad that included fresh fruits and walnuts along with bleu cheese.

2011 Doña Paula Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Luján de Cuyo
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
$15, 14.1% abv.

Major notes of blackberry and blueberry, round dark fruit flavors, and a medium tannic finish. Definitely one to pair with savory roast pork loin.

2011 Doña Paula Estate Malbec
Valle de Uco
100% Malbec
$15, 14.1% abv.

Quite bright for a Malbec, with lots of tart red cherry aromas and flavors and a biting tannic structure. I would be anxious to try this one after another two or three years of aging to let it soften out a bit. For the moment, it would be a good choice for serving with a grilled burger topped with lots of onions, a dish that would fight back against the wine.

Note: These wines were provided as samples for review.

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