Loca Linda Malbec `09 1L $19.99 (Not TJ's) ¢¢¢¢ (Makes $ense!)

Why being tempted with wine is a good thing....

Saturday lunch was a simple meal of leftover pizza.  Truth be told, I had scarfed my slices long before the rest of the household even thought of lunch, but, I joined them at the table for a small glass of chilled Jericho Apple Cider.  Then JPH pulled out this party sized (just under 1 1/2 bottles) bottle of Malbec, poured glasses for both S and himself (after I declined - after all, there is a party tonight...) and then left his glass a little too close to my 36" reach.  One sip and I was grabbing a glass.  Two sips and I was running to get the camera and then to the fridge for some cheese (this is a GREAT cheese wine) and well, here's the review...

The romanticism of wine is NOT over rated. This wine, straight from the bottle is a bold, unsweetened prune/ dried stone-fruit taste with a hint of smokiness, a peppery full finish with some oaky tannins and a nice acidic14% ETOH after burn.  Which translates into: This is a great wine for smoked meats and oily cheeses.

By the time we had taken the first picture and then gone back to the table, the wine opened up even more. The vinturi evened out the ETOH after-burn, and still left the high notes of the pepper and the deep dried stone-fruit smokiness.  JPH was spot on when he said that  it "blossomed".  Which, after finishing my first glass sent me running to the vinturi.  We pried S's glass away from her and forced her into a premature second glass of the aerated wine. The table reached consensus, it's a good wine to start and it gets better with aeration.

Round two:  Salad, Potatoes and Ham

This is a fun wine that brings a smile to my face.  The label reads "to be enjoyed with: Lovers, Family and Friends" well, that just was what I needed to hear.  The remainder of the bottle has been vacuumed and will come with us to tonight's Birthday Party. It is a family party, so bringing half a jug of wine is not frowned upon - and after all, isn't that just what this wine was made for?

Hours later...  The Malbec did indeed go well at the Birthday party.  Of course there was plenty of wine to be had, but those of us in the "know" had the Loca Linda. Good wine.  I recommend buying a bottle and throwing a party!

Finally, just because I feel like predicting a future trend, 

I'll leave you with "Birthday Pie" as requested by the Birthday Boy!
Cake is so passé.