We had a yen to learn more about available Malbecs from Mendoza, (you remember, that great wine growing region in Argentina) so we went out and bought three bottles to taste and enjoy with a meal of Itallian spiced grilled chicken, mashed potatoes & salad. OK, so the Italian spice was that we basted the chicken with Zesty Italian dressing. So shoot us!
Diseno Malbec Mendoza, AR $9.99
Anyway, the first Malbec we’ll tell you about is Diseno — $9.99 at a major discount wine store. We were drawn to the American looking blue, black & orange label. The wine had a slightly spicy nose which confused several of us, and then led to a nicely rustic, medium bodied and oaky palate with hints of tobacco. The fruit was there, but muted, and if I closed my eyes, it was easy to imagine that I was in an old farm house, sitting in a wicker rocker on the large front porch looking out at the setting sun.
The pairing with the chicken wasn’t the greatest idea we ever had, even with the spice in the chicken. The wine simply over powered it, so that we either had chicken in our mouth, or wine, but never a combination of the two.
Overall, with the price at only $9.99, we give it our Recommendation and 4-Stars.
Tags: 4-Stars, Argentina, Diseno, Malbec, Mendoza, Small Wine Review, Wine Rating