Argentinian producer Trapiche showcases the elasticity and subtlety that Malbec is capable of in its Terroir Series, bringing to light the diversity of soils and subzones of the Mendoza region in an elegant, studied manner. My latest for The Tasting Panel.
Originally published on Departures.com
The year 2004 was an unremarkable one in Bordeaux. The season was typical, marked by slow and at times uneven ripening, cooler temperatures, and a long harvest, and the wine—a connoisseur’s vintage—easily overlooked by drinkers who prefer the lush wines of California. Sitting between the two highly collectible years of 2003 and 2005 (plush, ripe, and powerful both), the seemingly austere and tannic 2004 received little attention and was left alone in the cellar.