Tasting Note Tuesday: Finca Abril Single Vineyard 1922 Malbec

Wine is indeed the nectar of the gods. It has the ability to transform an ordinary meal into something special, and an ordinary occasion into something more grandiose. And, if you’re lucky, sometimes the stars align. You find yourself in one of the rarest of moments… the perfect place, with the perfect person and the perfect bottle. These moments are few and far between - a wine bar while waiting for a return flight from a business trip (sounds silly, I know), a celebratory bottle of champagne for a major life step, and uncorking a 25-year old bottle at the birth of your new baby, just to name a few.

If you’re lucky enough to have one of these moments, and you’re even luckier to realize you’re in one, then you know what I’m talking about. Life, at that moment, is perfect.

I was lucky enough to have one of those moments recently, where I just said "a-ha" and took it all in. It involved a bottle of '05 Finca Abril Single Vineyard 1922 Malbec...

2005 Finca Abril Single Vineyard 1922 Malbec – Mendoza Argentina

Upon opening, I could tell this Malbec was going to be a special one. It boasted scents of blackberry, boysenberry and oak. It was big… and dark, and the tannins were firm. This wine had gorgeous scents of dark fruits. I could smell plum, blueberry and blackberry. And there were slight hints of graphite and vanilla which helped add to its complexity.

When you sip this wine, all the black fruits truly jump from the glass. They coat your mouth slowly, allowing you to embrace each one momentarily- first the blueberry, then the blackberry, and eventually to the graphite. It’s sounds overwhelming, but everything was in complete balance. This could easily age for years… but I'd rather indulge in life's little moment right now.

My Take: Outstanding