Washington Malbecs Becoming More Balanced, Food Friendly

It wasn’t too long ago that the only place you could find a malbec at your local grocer or wine shop was from France or Argentina. Today, it seems as if nearly every winery in Washington has a malbec on the shelves or plans to produce one.

I think the malbec grape is capable of making some really nice wines. They tend to be extremely dark in color, with medium tannins and a bit fruity. Of course, too much fruit in any wine can make it more difficult to pair with food. But many Washington winemakers have been pulling in the reins on their malbecs by nudging up the acidity and blending them with other varietals, resulting in more well balanced, food friendly wines.

Some wineries have the luxury of holding back their wines an extra year or two before releasing them, and winemaker Keith Pilgrim continues to do just that. His Terra Blanca Winery 2005 Malbec (about $32) is a perfect example of how additional time in the bottle allows a wine to develop character and depth. With seductive dark berry flavors and a slightly oaky finish, this beautiful malbec is well rounded and plush without being fat.

Winemaker John Morgan chose to blend in 25 percent cabernet sauvignon with a base of 75 percent malbec to create his just released Lost River Winery 2006 Massif (about $26). This is unlike some of the overly fruity Washington malbecs of the past, with just a bit of restrained black cherry fruit on the palate, accented by the cabernet to add density and complexity. It’s pretty heady stuff that begs to be paired with a big juicy steak. With additional cellaring time this wine promises to only get better.

Doug Charles, proprietor of Compass Wines in Anacortes just named the Woodinville Wine Cellars LMS 2006 Malbec (about $32) as one of his Top 10 Washington Red Wines of 2008 by noting the wine’s intriguing combination of candied cherries, smoked almonds and cocoa powder. Only produced in microscopic quantities, Compass Wines may very well be the last place on the planet to have any of this wine still on hand.