Okay, I’ll have to “me too” here and say that I preferred the Norton Malbec (non-Reserva) to the Reserva as well, although the Reserva had softened quite a bit by the second day. On the first day I took a sip, and decided to let it sit in the glass for an hour or so, but I still thought it to be a bit tannic for my tastes.
Haven’t opened the Terrazas Reserva yet, but I’d like to find the non-Reserva for the same sort of comparison.
Good question NinetyWt. I’ve heard different things in terms of how long to let a good red wine “breathe”. Anywhere from 5 minutes to hours. The proprietor at one wine shop described an Italian red that they let breathe for 36 hours before drinking it and declared it delicious though at the time I thought he was full of shit. Still, reading Plynk’s comments below, I have to say that some reds can probably stand up to being open for a day.
Any wine will change in flavor as it oxidizes. For red wines this can be a really good thing. This is why reds are served in big round bowled glasses and swirling is encouraged…it helps the oxidation process along and encourages the wine to “open up”.
The problem with oxidation is that more isn’t better. A wine will reach a peak of flavor at some point and then go down hill so that a red wine that has been opened may be completely spoiled the next day even if you recork it right away.
For me it’s kind of a trial and error thing and often I can tell from the first taste if a wine is going to open up more but I’d be hard pressed to describe that.
Well, you’ll just have to come to the party then. 
I enjoyed your video (Gingy), BTW.
Game plan: I’ll open the Malbec about 15 minutes before guests are to arrive, pour my self about a half glass, and start tasting in 15 minutes. I’ll let the bottle breathe 20 to 30 minutes before re-corking it.
After the party is over, I’ll check back in with my reflections and those of the guests on each of the 3 wines. 
That was my response as well - though to me it was sharper than just tannic. The second day it was fine, but this is one I’d let breathe to suit my own taste.
I found thd 2005 Terrazas Reserva for $18. They didn’t have the non-Reserva. I served it with a hearty meat sauce over pasta, with salad, and crunchy french bread.
I liked it. I wasn’t bothered by the tannins, maybe I’m getting used to them. I did decant it, which I don’t usually bother to do, based on the comments here. It was probably decanted 20 minutes or so before we sat down to eat.
My friend didn’t like it at all. She said it had an aftertaste she didn’t care for. (I didn’t get that at all.) She isn’t a big wine drinker anyway, so she switched to water without finishing her glass of wine. My other friend said he liked to pretty well; between the two of us, we finished the bottle.
I can’t say I really fell in love with it. I didn’t like it as well as some of the other big reds we’ve tasted, but it’s still a pretty nice wine. Thanks for the pick!
Thanks for the comments NinetyWt I’m glad you like the video. The song is Dindi btw. Portuguese pronunciation being what it is it’s pronounced Gingi
Can’t wait to hear what your guests think.
Thanks Jodi you have no idea how I agonized over this pick. I had hoped to pick something that some hadn’t tried and that would be well liked. Turns out that most of us are quite familiar with the Argentinian Malbecs.
Just in case anyone is interested, my alternate pick would have been a Pinot Noir, third alternate would be any french red from the Rhone region.
Guess I’ll save those for next time.
I found a bottle of the 2006 Terrazas at the grocery store and opened it after dinner last evening. I did find that the second glass, poured after leaving the bottle open for half an hour or so, was even better than the first. I am a big fan of big, bold reds, and this did not disappoint me.
A great pick!
We ended up not getting the whole group, so there were only 9 of us. Our menu was various appetizers: ham and cheeze calzones, pineapple-shrimp-onion-pepper skewers, mini crustless quiches, gingered fruit salad, and veggies with curry dip.
The Malbec, I think, was very good … and I’m not usually a fan of reds. I opened the bottle and poured myself a half glass (swirled it a bit) and let it rest about 10 minutes. Upon tasting I was pleasantly surprised … it had a bit of a first “bite” but the rest was fairly smooth (since I was alone in the kitchen I could do some mouth-swishing and lip smacking heh). It’s a good hearty wine which I would probably serve in the future with any robust meat dish - the flavors can certainly stand up to it. I let it breathe for about 20 to 30 minutes before anyone else tried it.
I only had 3 other guests to try it; two proclaimed it “good” without further comment and the other got out the door before I could ask her about it. Lynn said two or three times that it was “quite hearty” and I ended up sending the last of the bottle home with her.
The Visognier was very well recieved and all those who tried it loved it. Comments were along the lines of “very fruity” “sweet but not too sweet” “crisp” and “a good summer wine”. I also found out that the Smoking Loon Visognier can be special-ordered from our local shops.
We did not open the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc; I’m saving it for a future shindig.
Great picks, tho, both of those we tried. Thanks to all of you for helping this novice choose some good wines!
Just a followup here, and no surprises: As mentioned above, I’ve had the Norton Reserva and non-Reserva (awkward, I know), and definitely preferred the “non”.
Just had the Terrazas non-Reserva last night ($9 on sale at a chain liquor store), and really liked it a lot, more than the Norton. I agree with the dark fruit taste, and the good balance. This will probably become my regular Malbec, especially at that price. Curiously: I am on a mailing list for a wine shop I don’t frequent much, and this is one of their wines of the month. They are discounting this wine from $14.99 to $11.99 for the next month. :rolleyes:
I haven’t had the Terrazas Reserva yet, but based on the comments here I may skip that comparison and keep the bottle in the cellar for a while, hoping that it will soften a bit.
Great pick, and a lot of fun doing the comparisons!
I had the non-Reserva a few nights ago. It was quite good, but tasted a little weak compared to the Reserva. Still, a very nice wine for the price range, and very easy to drink. The Reserva is a bit more assertive (maybe it’s the tannins), but if you let it breath long enough it goes down quite well.
I had the non-Reserva with a pasta dish and a strong meat/tomato sauce, btw. I still like the Famiglia Bianchi best of all the Mendoza Malbecs I’ve had. They make a pretty decent Cab, too.
Glad to hear that the Reserva, after breathing, is better. It definitely seems “sharper” than the non-Reserva, but also has a less pronounced grassy taste, which I find more appealing. So, all in all, if the Reserva mellows, I will prefer that. If not, then I like the non-Reserva, but just by a little bit.
Guess I’ll find out tonight, as it will be night 2 for the Res. and night 3 for the NR.
Fair enough; I’ll try the Reserva. I don’t need much prodding to open another bottle.
John, I found a listing for “Valentin Bianchi Malbec Elsa” on the NH Liquor Commission website (the first place I check on line to see if a wine may be available in my area). Is that the one you mention? If so, I am taking a trip to Maine later this month and will pick some up. They also have “Valentin Bianchi Cabernet Svgn Elsa”.
And how. Tne Reserva REALLY mellowed, with all of the up-front biting tannins melting away and leaving a nice, well-rounded, smoky flavor. The NR changed not at all. I definitely prefer the Reserva, after a day.