Editor’s Note: This column is sponsored by Georgetown Square Wine and Beer (10400 Old Georgetown Rd.).
Each March, more than 100 professional wine judges from all over the world gather in Paris for the Vinalies Internationales Exhibition to assess more than 3,000 wine samples submitted to the competition.
Each wine is put in one of six categories and is given a detailed set of tasting notes and a score to decide which medal (if any) is awarded. One wine from each category will win the Grand Trophy as this year’s best wine.
With a historic win, an Argentine winery won the Grand Trophy for the first time as the World’s Best Dry Red Wine. Shockingly, the 2012 Famiglia Bianchi Malbec beat out some of the world’s best and most expensive red wines in a blind taste test. Why is that shocking?
Famiglia Bianchi Malbec retails for less than $20 and beat out wines that cost hundreds of dollars. There’s no secret you get a lot of bang for your buck out of Argentinean Malbecs, but for one to win such a huge and prestigious international wine competition really solidifies the variety as a top quality wine. It couldn’t have worked out better for wine lovers that Famiglia Bianchi is so relatively cheap.
The prices of Argentinean Malbecs will very likely rise steadily as popularity increases, but as of now you can still get a bottle of Argentinean Malbec that tastes like a high-end premium wine for less than $20.
Here are a few Malbecs we offer for less than $20 that will blow you away:
2012 Famiglia Bianchi Reserva Mendoza, Argentina
When Famiglia Bianchi won the Vinalies Internationales, we quickly made a pre-order of 25 cases. When we sampled Famiglia Bianchi, we doubled that order to 50. We continue to alert our valued customers about the quality you can get at such a good price when it comes to this wine.
It has luscious, intense fruit aromas of ripe plums, cherries and berries. The flavors mimic the aromas with a massive, yet soft and silky, mouth feel and a lush, long finish. It’s the perfect expression of the highly-praised Malbec grape.
Pairs perfectly with any broiled or grilled red meat and red pasta dishes.
2011 Recuerdo Malbec Uco Valley, Argentina
One of my favorite new Malbecs we have on the shelf, Recuerdo is partly owned by Blackbird Wineries out of Napa Valley. Using the same techniques and skill they do in Napa, Recuerdo Malbec offers bright blackberry and dark cherry, framed by lively acidity and subtle tannins.
The intense mouth feel seamlessly rounds out the finish. This wine pairs well with a variety of heavier fare and will offer a daily respite for lovers of Cabernet Sauvignon and other full-bodied red wines.
2011 Diamandes Uco Malbec Valley, Argentina
From Kendall Jackson’s Monument Fine Wine’s portfolio, Diamandes de Uco Malbec is another gem at less than $20.
All three Malbecs on this list could easily sell for twice the price and all three are available at Georgetown Square Wine and Beer in Bethesda and Downtown Crown Wine and Beer in Gaithersburg.
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