Nieto Senetiner 2020 “Don Nicanor” Mendoza Malbec ($17.99)

Dark reddish-purple in color with a clear violet edge, “Don Nicanor” Mendoza Malbec opens with a bold, forward scent of cherries and cherry liqueur. With time in the glass it calms a bit, adding blackberry notes and whiffs of black and white pepper. Its hefty 14.9% alcohol adds an indisputable touch of heat, but it’s well integrated in a full black-fruit flavor, fresh and clean, shaped by fresh-fruit acidity and soft tannins that become more obvious as a touch of dark chocolate joins in an exceptionally long finish. U.S. importer: Foley Family Wines, Santa Rosa, Calif. (Sept. 7, 2023)

FOOD MATCH: Beef or venison make a classic match with this big, dry red wine. It would also go well with cheese-based dishes. We dreamed up a Beyond Burger seared outside, cool pink inside, topped with fresh chimichurri to approximate an Argentine parrilla, and it was an excellent match.

WHEN TO DRINK: It’s fine now, but it should be fine under good cellar conditions for the next three to five years.

VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com’s $18 average U.S. retail matches my local price, which represents a very good value for this exceptional Argentine red.

WEB LINK:
Here’s a fact sheet on the 2020 vintage from the winery in English.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for “Don Nicanor” Mendoza Malbec on Wine-Searcher.com.

Follow this Wine-Searcher link to learn more about Malbec and find listings for dozens of Malbec-based wines.

Learn about Argentina’s Mendoza region at this Wine-Searcher link.