Name: Falling Star, Cuyo
Type: Red
Grape: Merlot/Malbec
Origin: Argentina
Year: 2004
Producer: Bodegas Trapiche
Price: $4.00


I’m always a sucker for a good Malbec. It’s an underappreciated (IMHO) grape common in South America that can be delicious in the right hands. It is to Argentina what Cabernet is to Napa Valley, except it’s a hell of a lot cheaper because most folks don’t know that. This particular wine has a deep hue and an aroma that I can only describe as cherry/raspberry stew. It definitely has the smell of something that has been sitting in a crock pot for a while and it ain’t a bad thing. It has a little bit of acidity that hits you right in the back of the jaw on the way down. It’s a little tannic on the finish, just a peep to let you know it’s there, then it rides off into the sunset with a pretty long finish. To top it off, the bottle comes with a handy screw cap. Anyone who tells you that a screw cap diminishes the wine is just snooty. They’re great. Cheers to the producer, I challenge anyone to find a superior red for less than $4 (?!) a bottle.