If you are interested in something nearly as good as the Ray's Station but for significantly less money, you should buy some of the 2004 Alamos Malbec. This wine presents a dark purple color with violet highlights. The nose has bright, black cherry aromas with light floral notes and a touch of toast. The mouth feel is full and rich, with ripe, concentrated cassis and black raspberry fruit flavors, with a touch of chocolate and sweet spice from some very light oak aging. This finish is long and lingering, with ripe, velvety tannins.

Alamos is produced by Nicolas Catena, the owner of Bodegas Catena Zapata, a century-old family winery in Argentina's Mendoza Valley. He is responsible for producing numerous awe-inspiring wines. Yet what sets him apart from other top producers in the world is his unflagging dedication to researching, studying, and learning every aspect of viticulture and winemaking that could potentially improve his wines.

This inexpensive little Malbec is incredibly delicious, and like all wines from Catena, really over delivers for the price. It is amazing when you realize a wine this delicious is just his entry-level wine.

29.95 - 3 bottles

Malbec defines Mendoza, Argentina the way Cabernet Sauvignon defines Bordeaux. There are hundreds and hundreds of acres of Malbec stretching out from the city of Mendoza south along the Andes Mountains to La Consulta. Patrick Campbell, owner and winemaker of Laurel Glen in Sonoma Mountain (and one of our favorite California Cabernet producers) has found some amazing ancient vineyards from the early 1900s, some well farmed and some almost abandoned. These old vineyards are naturally self-limiting in production, and at their best afford intensely black, highly concentrated and luscious fruit that makes an incredibly sexy, sensuous wine. One of these vineyards, an 80-year-old vineyard in La Consulta, was so special that he embarked on a joint project with his friends at Bodegas Achaval-Ferrer to produce a world-class Malbec. The resulting wine is opaque, deep purple and shows notes of dried orange peel, truffles, and black fruit. This is really a mouthful of flavors with a smooth and full finish that just doesn't quit. Val La Pena means "worth the effort". This wine is even better then the previous vintage. One taste and we are sure you will agree wholeheartedly.
 
Very limited - this will disappear quickly once discovered. Only 300 cases were produced.