Friday, December 4, 2009

Te Ata Po Malbec Reserve 2008

According to this article, Sonia Carpenter and David Craw are local winemakers (Motts Landing Vineyard) who made this particular wine while wintering in New Zealand. Here’s what Iron Chef’s had to say about it.

— Iron Chef’s Review —

A local -ish wine that I just had to try.

Nose- Gamey like duck or partridge. Blueberry compote, cedar and butterscotch and vanilla aromas. Complex.

Taste- Great acidy for a red- a food wine. Mineral quality that I have come to expect from NZ wines. Medium tannins. Very drying finish. Some medicinal and herbal notes. Good dark blueberry fruit.

Overall Sonia Carpenter and David Craw of local winery, Motts Landing have produced an exciting wine that is very complex and multi-layered. I will be a regular buyer of this wine. Just Super.

Price: $19.99
Value 5/5
Score: 92
Price: New Zealand- Gisborne
Alcohol: 13.5%
UPC: 400008150194

3 comments:

  1. I have to agree "somewhat" with Iron Chef's description. Very similar observation, but a different score.
    On the nose, initially there is a gamey and musty character, and the caramel and vanilla are very good calls, although I don't think I would have picked them up if not guided. There is also an herbal nose that appeared after 30 minutes of air (thyme to be exact). It smells like a pork loin roasted with blueberries, thyme, olive oil, and pepper.
    It is very lively on the palate with a high degree of acidity, a nice bit of puckery tannin, and you do get blueberry and thyme. It is long and interesting; overall a good wine, but not great. I am tempted to score it higher because of it's uniqueness, but alas I would give it 88 pts, and for value a 3.9/5. Nice to try, not disappointing, but I doubt if I would go out of my way to buy it again.

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  2. Oh yeah...it is a typical Malbec tooth-stainer, although you wouldn't guess by the color

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