Review: 2023 La Madrid Agrelo Single Vineyard Reserve Malbec

Occasionally, something at the local shop manages to throw a curveball. In this instance, it was a Malbec from Mendoza priced at $20, doing the heavy lifting of wine twice the price. That shouldn’t be surprising at all, but it somehow managed to feel like a personal plot twist in a year already filled with abrupt changeups. There it was on an endcap display, sitting between impulse purchases, budget bottles of sparkling wine and seasonal novelties, practically begging to be test-driven. So let’s do it.

In the glass, the wine opens with lifted notes of violet and roasted plum: familiar hallmarks of the region, executed with clarity and balance. On the palate, the fruit leads decisively, dark berries layered atop earthier notes of pepper, bay leaf and a slight hint of sediment, delivering a slightly rustic quality. It’s fruit-forward without overstatement: an exercise in proportion over swagger, never becoming too jammy or clunky. The finish turns dry, letting the bay leaf and pepper take a small final bow before a faint note of mint leaf cuts through. It’s an everyday/weeknight bottle, not trying to reinvent anything or offer anything for profound contemplation. However, it does the job well enough to consider it a candidate for inclusion in regular rotation. Tuck a few away now, and they’ll be ready when it’s time to clean off the grill for the next neighborhood barbecue.

B+ / $20

The post Review: 2023 La Madrid Agrelo Single Vineyard Reserve Malbec appeared first on Drinkhacker: The Insider’s Guide to Good Drinking.