Aaron: Mossy mushroom nose with currants. Flavors feature gravel and red apple with some tart raspberries at the end. Not really spicy as expected, pretty smooth and medium-full bodied, good enough to drink. 89 points
Teri: Dark cherry and some tar on the nose become prominent flavors of black pepper, green wood, red fruits, and a finish of prune on the wine. Medium to hearty tannins. It’s earthy and full but nothing spectacular. 87 points. Great for the price point.
Purchased from Cost Plus World Market, $16.99 (11.49 sale)
Aaron: This has an earthy nose with oak and olives. The flavor was smooth and rich with dirty cocoa powder, cherry, and vanilla. There was some hefty spice on the back of the throat after the full finish. 89 points
Teri: This Malbec carries a leathery raspberry and cocoa nose. On the wine, I taste significant herbs and earth: Minerals, bell pepper, and green wood. The body has medium to light tannins which smooth out well in the mouth. 88 points.
Lot 18, $18
Aaron: Skip this wine. Red tar and raspberry with cherry cough syrup made the nose a bit off-putting. Tart and bitter, the flavor featured awkward tannins on the middle of the tongue, resulting in a puckering of underripe fruit and watermelon rinds. Weak flavor then a punch of spicy pepper. Horrible. 83 points
Teri: This bottle is bold with hearty tannins and needs a strong meaty dish to stand up to the flavors. It is on the earthy side with a bit too much bite on the end. The flavors of white pepper, leafy tree roots and underlining tone of chocolate covered cherries were tight and not completely enjoyable. Perhaps it needed a few hours to aerate but I would recommend just to skip this bottle. 85 points
Aaron: Not really my favorite, but functional. The smell of berries, chocolate, and smokey bark led to a strange spice with lots of plum on the tongue. Peppers and chili layered the palate with lavender in the background. 88 points
Teri: A jammy chocolate and oaky cherry nose. Flavors of warm cherry, sweet oak, and candy red grape (but not sweet). A complex and flavorful Malbec from a widely distributed label. This is not the best Malbec I have ever tried, but it brings decent quality which is easier to find widely. 89 points
The Vino Duo 