Review: 2020 Mascota Vineyards Unanime Malbec

As a young child, my career aspirations fell squarely between replacing Tom Brookens at third base for the Detroit Tigers or Michael Anthony on bass for Van Halen. Sadly, neither came to fruition, however I am pleased and somewhat envious to report that the childhood dream of Master Winemaker Opi Sadler became a reality with the creation of Mascota Vineyards, at least according to the quote on the front of their web page. It is great to see dreams still come true every so often, and today we are enjoying but a fraction of the result of those aspirations, the latest Malbec offering under the venerable Unánime line.

As always with hearty Malbecs from Mendoza, it is not the worst idea to let this sit for about 20 or 30 minutes or subject it to a decant before enjoying, allowing for some settling. Pouring a deep ruby color, it is filled with a hearty, concentrated core of everything expected from a classic Argentinian Malbec, with notes of blackberry, plum, and oak running throughout. While mild notes of vanilla and cherry emerge on the palate, it never strays from its main lane of darker fruit and wood, gently alternating between the two. Velvet tannins and light acidity carry on to the blackberry-heavy finish, which lingers for a decent amount of time.

Malbec devotees will find plenty to appreciate, while casual drinkers and newcomers wanting to explore further will also find it a venerable introduction to the varietal. It pairs quite well with grilled dishes during the summer months but could also complement a quality block of Cheddar or Gouda beautifully regardless of the season.

B+ / $26 / mascotavineyards.com

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