Bibere: Bodega Norton, Coleccion Varietales, Malbec, 2011, Mendoza, Argentina

This is the first in what I hope will be a (usually) weekly column featuring a wine. The idea is I will purchase a relatively inexpensive bottle of wine and my girlfriend and I will will independently taste it and present our notes. Taste in wine is an area of constant tension in our relationship.

Today's wine is  Bodega Norton, Coleccion Varietales, Malbec, 2011, Mendoza, Argentina ($7.99 at Trader Joes). Malbecs have certainly grown on me and have become some of my favorites for non-California wines, and certainly the best from South America.

Edie's tasting notes: Raisin, plum, blackberry, wet stone and pepper on the nose. Long legs with a viscous texture and dry palate. Initial sweetness with dried cherries, raisin and dried cranberries on the palate. A dry and not too lengthy finish. Good drunk alone, but excellent with fatty foods and dark chocolate. 

My notes: Bright ruby color. Dark cherry and soil on the nose.  Light taste of dark fruit with dried cranberry, wet soil, dried cranberries, a hint of mushroom, and plantain on the palate. Very short and dry finish. Smooth tannins. Good now, but probably not much aging potential.

To eat with the wine, we had an eggplant and sausage dish, and then some dark chocolate. We agreed that both were excellent pairings. The fatty sausage brought out a spicy quality in the wine. With the wine, the dark chocolate tasted like a cherry cordial. 

Trader Joe's wines are extremely hit and miss. They have plenty of inexpensive bottles, but I've found that most are boring, This wine was excellent for the price and is recommended.  If anyone has tried the wine, I'd love to hear your thoughts.