“All Mendoza Malbecs taste the same.” The reality is closer to “All Mendoza Malbecs taste different.” Why is that? Well, Mendoza is a pretty big appellation (~70% of all Argentine wine is made on more than 350,000 acres of vineyards), and would normally be divided into many sub-regions. The elevation within this growing region can range from less than 2000 feet to more than 4500 feet, which leads to all sorts of differences in the final wines. The soils in Mendoza are considered “young” because of low precipitation and a lack of settling, thus creating less uniformity not just in one small district, but also within one vineyard. The only constants in this region are that there is plenty of solar radiation and very little rainfall, which lead to healthy mature grapes, expressive fruit flavors, and ripe round tannins on a very consistent basis.

So what can we do in order to make some definitive statements about Malbec styles within Mendoza? We need to slice the pie smaller, and then smaller again.

Lujan de Cuyo – Uco Valley –
Eastern Mendoza

These three areas account for most of the wine, and can help orient your drinking--a bit. Lujan, which is closest to Mendoza City, is the traditional fine-wine area. While it contains a range of microclimates and soils, we can generalize that this area produces wines with aromatic red fruit flavors, medium body, and very suave mouthfeel—there are some very concentrated wines that come from here too.

Uco Valley is a relative newcomer, with lots of planting within the last 15 years, though it's also home to some spectacular old-vine grapes. Within this valley, elevations can vary by 1500 feet, but the general flavor impression is one of deep, dark fruit flavors, big in body, round but still balanced due to fresh acidity from super-cool nights.

Eastern Mendoza is certainly warmer than the other two and has a longer growing season that tends to favor Bonarda grapes more than Malbec. These wines tend to be solid yet less exciting and less expensive than the other two areas.

To get a more detailed look at the departments, districts, and sub-districts of Mendoza, click here.

DRINK BELOW THE RADAR

We've always felt an affinity for the guys (and gals) who make unforgettable wines and boast impressive credentials that stand up to any big name in winemaking. Some of these superstars remain under the radar, for whatever reason, and that means the insiders get first crack. That's the way we feel about our Argentine friends Pepe Galante and Mariano Di Paola of mapema and our locally grown Guy Davis of Davis Family Vineyards.

While made on two continents, the wines from mapema and Davis Family have some things in common. Most importantly, both wineries believe in making small lot wines expressing the best of the vintage with high quality at very fair prices . The wine press is also starting to appreciate what we have known for many years (Check it out here). So who are these men behind these still undiscovered gems?

Pepe Galante & Mariano di Paola: The Founding Fathers of Argentine Wine
Together Mariano & Pepe (the ma, pe, ma in mapema) have influenced the style, technique and quality in Argentine winemaking for more than four decades. Pepe was the head winemaker for Catena Zapata for 32 years and a leading professor of winemaking in Mendoza. Mariano is the head of the University Enological Technology department and head winemaker for Bodega La Rural. Today, they continue to push forward the quality of Mendoza Province with their own wines. Joining their Uco Valley Malbec and Sauvignon Blanc bottlings, pz Malbec is their latest release and is the ultimate representation of their intimate knowledge of Malbec vineyard sources and decades-old winemaking techniques. Click here to learn more about Pepe and Mariano's mapema wines.

Guy Davis: A Rock of Russian River Valley For more than a decade, Guy Davis has been a champion for Russian River Valley and is recognized as one of Sonoma County's most prominent producers of high quality Pinot Noir and other classic varietals—just see the endless local sweepstakes awards he has won. This self-proclaimed “Riesling fanatic” is also experimenting with some other fun wines, like Riesling (he just starting bottling a beauty from the oldest Riesling vineyard in California!), a Marsanne/Rousanne blend, and an unoaked Chardonnay. Passionate about anything vine-related, Guy is a member of the prestigious Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Forum and also a board member of Russian River Valley Winegrowers, helping to advance the collective understanding of wine grape growing in Sonoma 's West County. Make sure you stop by his Healdsburg tasting room next time you are visiting wine country! Read more about Guy and his award-winning wines here.

Be sure to look for Pepe, Mariano and Guy's treasures this holiday season. Your customers, friends and family will be glad you did!

SHAKE UP THE SEASON

Affordable, tasty wines will definitely shine this holiday season but why not try something a little different? This year we've launched some fun new sake products that are sure to add some life to your parties or help you kick off your holiday feasts.

sake2me – Turn heads with our lightly sparkling Japanese junmai sake! This alternative to beer or wine can be enjoyed on the rocks, from the bottle, or even as a cocktail. (For recipe ideas, click here.)

Tozai Blossom of Peace Plum Sake – A rare plum sake made with high quality Japanese sake and premium Aodani green plums that is great chilled by the glass or on the rocks. Or have some fun with the Plum with these cocktail suggestions .

Tozai Typhoon – A versatile premium sake delicious served chilled or gently warmed as it is enjoyed in Japan this time of year. Substitute Typhoon for vodka or gin to give any of these cocktails an Asian twist.

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Ed's musings about this curious business of importing wine and sake