2007 Pascual Toso Malbec

August 12, 2008 | by Jason Bordley | Reds, Tasting Notes, Value

Every once in awhile you stumble across that great buy of the year. For me, that buy was a 2007 Pascual Toso Malbec. What pulled me to this bottle, other than the $8.99 price sticker, was the information on the tag. At the end of the description it stated that it had received a 91 point rating from Wine Enthusiast and a 90 point rating from Robert Parker (I would later find out these ratings were actually for the 2006 vintage, not the 2007). It’s not very often that you see this ratings on a wine priced under $10, let alone under $9. So into my cart it went.

When I uncorked the wine, I was welcomed by a bouquet of blackberries and plums. I poured my first glass. It was a very deep dark red, almost purple. The label mention that this was a medium bodied wine, though after a few swirls, it showed more characteristics of a light bodied wine. As I took the first sip I could taste the blackberries that I had smelled upon opening the bottle, along with notes of coffee, tobacco, black currants and a little vanilla. The mouth feel was definitely that of medium bodied wine (proof that looks can be deceiving) with smooth tannins. However, it was a little tight still and not very well balanced, as the alcohol seemed to over power the delicate fruit flavors. I decided that since this was still a young wine I should let it sit out for a bit.

A few hours later I returned and had another glass. That is when I realized that this was my best buy of the year. It still had the same flavors per se, but they had opened up and become much more intense. The aroma was much stronger. The berries were dancing in my mouth. The alcohol no longer over powered. And it had become a little sweeter.

This had become a very pleasant wine indeed, and my best buy of the year.