Domaine Bousquet 2022 Tupungato Uco Valley Mendoza Malbec ($14.99)

The label of good-value Bousquet Mendoza Malbec carries an array of icons declaring it organically and sustainably grown, gluten-free, and vegan. It’s dark reddish-purple in color and offers pleasant, typically Malbec scents of dark cherries, red berries and plums, backed by a pleasant whiff of leather. Its dry and acidic flavor is focused on cherry-berry fruit; the wine sees no oak in fermentation or aging. At 14% alcohol there’s a touch of heat in the finish; the label’s advice to serve it at 65°F suggests that 15 minutes in the refrigerator before serving might burnish it smooth. U.S. importer: Origins Organic, Miami, Fla. (Oct. 3, 2024)

FOOD MATCH: The producer recommends serving it with pasta and red meat dishes, a combination that would be likely to happen in its native Argentina.

WHEN TO DRINK: Although some Malbecs merit cellaring, this simple, approachable, un-oaked rendition is probably best enjoyed over the next year or two. On the other hand, especially if you can get it at the lower end of its range, it would be easy to experiment with a few bottles.

VALUE:
I would have said this appealing Malbec was well worth my $15 retail price, yet that’s on the high end of its range: Wine-Searcher.com lists a $11 average U.S. retail, and many vendors offer it well under $10, at which point stocking up is a no-brainer.

WEB LINK:
Here’s the producer’s English-language tech sheet.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Bousquet Mendoza Malbec on Wine-Searcher.com.

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

Follow this Wine-Searcher link to read about Malbec, “Argentina’s Flagship Red Wine Grape,” and browse vendors and prices for a variety of Malbec-based wines.