For those that don’t know, I spent February through September as a pregnant woman. It obviously limited the opportunities to taste through all the wonderful wines that crossed my path. Today, I had the pleasure of consuming my first glass of wine this past weekend since giving birth, the Zuccardi Serie A Malbec.
Zuccardi is one of my all time favourite producers. From Mendoza in Argentina, Malbec is one of their specialties, focusing on terroir driven flavour expressions.
My husband, parents and mother-in-law cracked a bottle of 2012 Zuccardi Serie A Malbec while putting up Christmas decorations. The consensus from everyone? GLORIOUS! Now normally, Malbec isn’t a varietal that I would decant. However I couldn’t resist ogling the gorgeous dark plum colour through the glass. It smelled of tangy cherries with a hint of sweet strawberry as well as a touch of green pepper. I let the first sip envelope my mouth, letting it sit on my tongue and touch every corner of my mouth.
After 10 months of no drinking, I savoured that first moment and enjoyed every second of it!! My mouth tingled, showcasing great acidity and balance, leaving a sparkle on the sides of my tongue long after swallowing. In addition to the subtle red fruit flavours, I tasted a hint of coffee and black pepper with a touch of blackberry on the finish. It took every ounce of control not to gulp down the whole glass. But I took my time, enjoying it alongside the Asian chicken stir-fry that my mom made for dinner.
I’d describe this wonderful Zuccardi wine as a punch in the face (i.e. a flavour explosion). It also made me want to immediately lie down for a nap and dream of dancing Malbec grapes in the warm Argentinean sunshine. Well done Zuccardi, well done.