The most noticeable unique characteristic of the TRIBU Malbec has to be the pronounced pepperiness all the way through from nose to finish. This peppery quality is rather pleasant; I just wish it didn't overshadow the rest of its characteristics.
And perhaps that spice is trying to compensate for something this wine lacks. it's difficult to actually pinpoint what it is missing. I can only use words like "thin" and "hollow" to describe that missing aspect. I do feel that whatever this wine is missing (and it is missing something), it's akin to forgetting to add salt when cooking food, which has the purpose of bringing out and enhancing the flavors.
And perhaps that spice is trying to compensate for something this wine lacks. it's difficult to actually pinpoint what it is missing. I can only use words like "thin" and "hollow" to describe that missing aspect. I do feel that whatever this wine is missing (and it is missing something), it's akin to forgetting to add salt when cooking food, which has the purpose of bringing out and enhancing the flavors.
BACKSTORY:
New Years eve on a budget, and what to buy? Nothing sells like a bottle on sale. Picked this one up of the shelf to give it further consideration after originally being attracted to its copper-orange foils alongside the dark blocky title "TRIBU", which had me questioning what that meant. Then I was sold after the succinct one-liner description on the back. I like succinct. I mean, there was also the three dollars off which brought it right into my budget range for the end of the month after a financially hefty holiday, but that was just extra meant-to-be-ness.
BASIC INFORMATION:
This bottle contains a decent 12% alcohol and is a 2017 vintage of Trivento Winery. At the local BCL this bottle is $13.99, but i did grab it on sale for $10.99
Trivento Winery hails from the Mendoza Region of Argentina. The word Trivento, and the Mendoza wine region, has an interesting story to grape growing. Trivento means three winds. This stands for the three winds that pass through and contribute to the grape-growing climate of the Mendoza region. The three winds include the icey dry polar winds of winter, coming from the south.; followed by the warming spring winds from the east Andies (called Zonda) and a local summer wind that carries damp cold air from the atlantic (called Sudestada). All contributing to the growth and harvest of the grapes, and the characteristics you taste.
I though perhaps they called their merlot Tribu as a short form of "Tribute," but Instead, I found out that Tribu is the name of the modern wine range that the Trivento winery is part of. I am pretty sure tribu means "tribe," but have nothing to back this up with.
A description on the official Trivento Winery website could not be found for its 2017 Tribu Malbec. But it does describe its 2016 vintage as "A vibrant red colour with violet tones. Delicate and balanced blend of forest fruit, marmalades of plumb and cherry. Medium body displaying round tannins. Very seductive wine with lots of red fruit and peppery undertones. A long rounded finish...a very seductive wine with lots of red fruit and peppery undertones. Delicate and harmonious, the aroma is an abundant union of red fruit and black pepper. Medium bodied, round tannins provide a persistent finish."
BOTTLE INFORMATION:
"Berries and plum jam aromas. Round Tannins and long finish"
REVIEWERS WRITE:
I couldn't find any major reviews of a 2017 bottle. The BCL itself has the description " Youthful Malbec is always a treat, gushing with grapiness, plums, blueberries and more. A great sipper...."
AMATEUR"S TAKE
APPEARANCE
The colour reminds me of the reddish-purple of beet juice. As you pour the liquid, it has this bright purply-red vibrance to it; and as it settles in the glass the darker purples set in. Overall, its not too dark, but not too light. As you swirl the liquid and look for lingering legs running down the inside of the glass, they are there, but they seem a bit thin. I find that these were accurate foreshadows of its taste.
NOSE:
The peppery notes come through immediately. They almost assault you; all up in your face while you are trying to look around them for glimpses of berries or the chocolates or even the earthy tones; but you find it quite difficult to get around that inundating peppery smell.
If you stick your nose far enough into the glass, and inhale deeply enough (and I mean a full belly breath), you can pick up those subtle other aromas. There is a hint of dark berry plum, but more noticeable is the smell of chocolate and licorice. This isn't that chocolate chip kind of chocolate that I smell, but that raw cacao or baker's cocoa powder kind of chocolate that comes out in the aroma.
PALATE:
Its not really all that sweet but its also not distinctly dry. It finds the middle ground instead. Its much lighter in mouthfeel than expected, almost too light and thin.
The initial tasting was almost too light to pick much up outside the pepperiness. It took a few sips and a couple gulps and a good swish and swirl followed by a good ol' gurgle to really find its other characteristics; characteristics that it almost seemed to be hiding behind that exterior of spice. After some good hunting, one could pick out the licorice and cocoa first, then perhaps some indistinct berry-plum notes. Overall, the actual taste seemed to indeed be "thin" and lacked something important to bring it all together.
The most pronounced aspect of this wine's flavor is the aftertaste that most definitely lingers. That aftertaste is a strong mixture of peppery spice with a more subtly but well placed licorice and cocoa..
FOOD WINE PAIRING
Malbecs such as this go great alongside grilled meats, complimenting spicier marinades well. The BCL will say it goes with all kinds of menu including baebeque, roasts of beef and ham, pizza, or burgers, soups and sandwhiches.
honestly, anything that one might think goes well with pepper and a hint of licorice cocoa is worth a try.
BOTTOM OF THE BOTTLE:
Overall it goes down easy enough and isn't one of those wines you have to choke down. Its pepperiness is rather pleasant, I just wish it didn't overshadow the rest of its characteristics; and perhaps that spice is trying to compensate for something it lacked. I feel like whatever this wine is missing (and it is missing something), it's much like forgetting to place salt in the food to bring the flavors out.
ì
New Years eve on a budget, and what to buy? Nothing sells like a bottle on sale. Picked this one up of the shelf to give it further consideration after originally being attracted to its copper-orange foils alongside the dark blocky title "TRIBU", which had me questioning what that meant. Then I was sold after the succinct one-liner description on the back. I like succinct. I mean, there was also the three dollars off which brought it right into my budget range for the end of the month after a financially hefty holiday, but that was just extra meant-to-be-ness.
BASIC INFORMATION:
This bottle contains a decent 12% alcohol and is a 2017 vintage of Trivento Winery. At the local BCL this bottle is $13.99, but i did grab it on sale for $10.99
Trivento Winery hails from the Mendoza Region of Argentina. The word Trivento, and the Mendoza wine region, has an interesting story to grape growing. Trivento means three winds. This stands for the three winds that pass through and contribute to the grape-growing climate of the Mendoza region. The three winds include the icey dry polar winds of winter, coming from the south.; followed by the warming spring winds from the east Andies (called Zonda) and a local summer wind that carries damp cold air from the atlantic (called Sudestada). All contributing to the growth and harvest of the grapes, and the characteristics you taste.
I though perhaps they called their merlot Tribu as a short form of "Tribute," but Instead, I found out that Tribu is the name of the modern wine range that the Trivento winery is part of. I am pretty sure tribu means "tribe," but have nothing to back this up with.
A description on the official Trivento Winery website could not be found for its 2017 Tribu Malbec. But it does describe its 2016 vintage as "A vibrant red colour with violet tones. Delicate and balanced blend of forest fruit, marmalades of plumb and cherry. Medium body displaying round tannins. Very seductive wine with lots of red fruit and peppery undertones. A long rounded finish...a very seductive wine with lots of red fruit and peppery undertones. Delicate and harmonious, the aroma is an abundant union of red fruit and black pepper. Medium bodied, round tannins provide a persistent finish."
BOTTLE INFORMATION:
"Berries and plum jam aromas. Round Tannins and long finish"
REVIEWERS WRITE:
I couldn't find any major reviews of a 2017 bottle. The BCL itself has the description " Youthful Malbec is always a treat, gushing with grapiness, plums, blueberries and more. A great sipper...."
AMATEUR"S TAKE
APPEARANCE
The colour reminds me of the reddish-purple of beet juice. As you pour the liquid, it has this bright purply-red vibrance to it; and as it settles in the glass the darker purples set in. Overall, its not too dark, but not too light. As you swirl the liquid and look for lingering legs running down the inside of the glass, they are there, but they seem a bit thin. I find that these were accurate foreshadows of its taste.
NOSE:
The peppery notes come through immediately. They almost assault you; all up in your face while you are trying to look around them for glimpses of berries or the chocolates or even the earthy tones; but you find it quite difficult to get around that inundating peppery smell.
If you stick your nose far enough into the glass, and inhale deeply enough (and I mean a full belly breath), you can pick up those subtle other aromas. There is a hint of dark berry plum, but more noticeable is the smell of chocolate and licorice. This isn't that chocolate chip kind of chocolate that I smell, but that raw cacao or baker's cocoa powder kind of chocolate that comes out in the aroma.
PALATE:
Its not really all that sweet but its also not distinctly dry. It finds the middle ground instead. Its much lighter in mouthfeel than expected, almost too light and thin.
The initial tasting was almost too light to pick much up outside the pepperiness. It took a few sips and a couple gulps and a good swish and swirl followed by a good ol' gurgle to really find its other characteristics; characteristics that it almost seemed to be hiding behind that exterior of spice. After some good hunting, one could pick out the licorice and cocoa first, then perhaps some indistinct berry-plum notes. Overall, the actual taste seemed to indeed be "thin" and lacked something important to bring it all together.
The most pronounced aspect of this wine's flavor is the aftertaste that most definitely lingers. That aftertaste is a strong mixture of peppery spice with a more subtly but well placed licorice and cocoa..
FOOD WINE PAIRING
Malbecs such as this go great alongside grilled meats, complimenting spicier marinades well. The BCL will say it goes with all kinds of menu including baebeque, roasts of beef and ham, pizza, or burgers, soups and sandwhiches.
honestly, anything that one might think goes well with pepper and a hint of licorice cocoa is worth a try.
BOTTOM OF THE BOTTLE:
Overall it goes down easy enough and isn't one of those wines you have to choke down. Its pepperiness is rather pleasant, I just wish it didn't overshadow the rest of its characteristics; and perhaps that spice is trying to compensate for something it lacked. I feel like whatever this wine is missing (and it is missing something), it's much like forgetting to place salt in the food to bring the flavors out.
ì
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