Malbec is Argentina’s signature red grape. It’s different due to the high mountain (Andes) elevation of its vineyards, giving it lots of unfiltered sunshine that affects the grape skins (getting thicker) to produce a wine with deep colour and more fruit flavours. I picked these two bottles of Malbec today as they have screw cap closures. I think many of us think about heavy bottles with cork closures, but these bottles are the opposite. The two wines I opened are the Trapiche Reserve Selected Vineyards Malbec 2023 and the El Esteco Don David Reserve Malbec 2023. On the El Esteco label it notes the vineyard is at 1700m. Consider BC’s Okanagan, where the elevation is between 300-600m. Argentina’s vineyards are 1100-1400 m higher than our vineyards! Let me tell you about these two wines, in anticipation of Malbec World Day.
My Wine Tasting Notes
Trapiche Reserve Selected Vineyards Malbec 2023 (BC $15.99)
Appearance: A deep, dull mix of ruby and garnet colours in the glass.
Nose: Light aromas of red fruits, plums, and touches of oak and tomatoes. After decanting, the aromas were more of black fruit and tarriness. No red fruits, plums, or tomato aromas.
Palate: Dry, full body, with a smooth, round, soft mouthfeel. Medium acidity and tannins. Medium-plus flavour intensity of ripe black fruit, plums and nutmeg flavours, with hints of floral and red cherries. Juicy purple berry flavours after decanting, along with the other flavours already mentioned. Also, the flavours were lighter and brighter, and the tannins were firmer.
Finish: Medium-plus length with stronger tannins that dry out the top of your tongue. Ripe black fruits, some tart fruit and a touch of floral flavours on the finish. Some candied cherries and bitterness on the finish after decanting, plus softer tannins.
Distinctively different aromas after decanting this wine, plus brighter flavours and firmer tannins. To decant this wine or not gives you a different experience.
Finish: 
The Trapiche Reserve Selected Vineyards Malbec 2023 offers a deep ruby-garnet hue and an evolving aroma profile, shifting from red fruits and oak to black fruit and tarriness with decanting. On the palate, it’s smooth and full-bodied, featuring ripe black fruit, plums, and nutmeg, with juicier berry notes and firmer tannins emerging after aeration. The finish is medium-plus in length, with a mix of ripe and tart fruit, floral hints, and drying tannins that soften over time.
El Esteco Don David Reserve Malbec 2023 (BC $18.99)
Appearance: Opaque black-ruby to the rim.
Nose: Medium-minus intensity aromas of juicy plums, with touches of oak, black pepper, leather and tar. A bit of dustiness as well. Medium intensity aromas with more dark fruit aromas and smokiness. The juicy plums aroma is reduced in intensity.
Palate: This wine is dry, with medium-body, and a soft, smooth, lightly round mouthfeel. Medium-plus acidity and light, plush tannins. Ripe, black plums, black fruits, and a touch of tarriness and floral on the palate. Some raspberries and red cherry flavours after swirling. The wine has a rounder, fuller body after decanting. Medium acidity and tannins. Light nutmeg and leather flavours as well.
Finish: Medium-plus length, finishing off-dry with floral and black fruit flavours. Some tart fruit as well. Lightly peppery. Red cherries on the finish with swirling. The wine has less flavour after decanting, with no red cherries or floral.
This wine is more open and generous with decanting, but you lose some of the cherry and floral flavours. Undecanted may be a bit nicer with the juicy plums aromas and the red cherry flavours.
Finish: 
– The El Esteco Don David Reserve Malbec 2023 offers an opaque black-ruby hue, and a nose of juicy plums, oak, black pepper, and leather, with smokier dark fruit notes after decanting. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied with a soft, smooth texture, balanced acidity, and light plush tannins, showcasing black plums, dark fruit, and hints of tarriness and spice. The medium-plus finish carries floral and black fruit notes with a touch of pepper, though decanting reduces the juicy plums and red cherry presence.
Where Can I Buy These Wines?
Both wines are available at BC Liquor stores:
- El Esteco Don David Reserve Malbec 2023
- Trapiche Reserve Selected Vineyards Malbec 2023 (A BCL Exclusive wine)
The El Esteco Don David Reserve Malbec 2023 is also available at Everything Wine stores.
