...a bottle of wine and thou

Pascual Toso Malbec 2002

Price: $10 bottle
Type: Malbec
Cork: conservatively decorated natural
Rating: 8

I went looking for the Medrano Malbec recommended by Kevin Currie, but couldn't find it at our local liquor barn. Since Louisville suffered from record setting snowfall yesterday, I wasn't willing to risk back roads. Instead, I picked a mystery Malbec. I wasn't disappointed.

The Spanish Pascual Toso has an incredibly rich and complex scent - very strong, very inviting, more than a little fruity. This makes the notably milder flavor something of a surprise. It's soft, more subtle than the aroma suggests. This wouldn't be a bad wine for people who are new to drinking reds.

I think it has a surprisingly strong cherry flavor, but perhaps I've been drinking too much wine lately and now think I taste flavors that are not really there. It's not too tannic. I hate that just-licked-a-cat dry feeling the tongue gets with the driest wines. This wine glides smoothly over the tongue. I also like its mild aftertaste.

Based on my dinner tonight, I'd recommend this wine (or another Malbec if this one isn't available) with red meat, strong spices, or both.

posted by Chris Rachael Oseland at 2:08 AM