Self Isolation : Day # 32

2015 El Corazón ‘Supernova’ Malbec

I don’t often find myself drinking Malbec. While I appreciate its importance as one of the most in-demand varietals on the market today, it sadly resides amongst my least-favorite. Thankfully there’s always an exception to the rule. El Corazón has been one of my favorties since I fist visited the urban winery in Walla Walla, Washington during the 2013 harvest. The wines I tried that afternoon at El Corazón stood out to me above those of the six or so other wineries I had visited on that, my only day in the Tri-Cities. Limited production is the required downside to small-lot, high-quality winemaking and this means the wines of El Corazón are not easy to find in most markets.

This bottle of the 2016 ‘Supernova’ Malbec was a surprise gift and I couldn’t be more impressed. Vibrant and expressive in all of its traits, with bright aromas and flavors of tart black fruit, currant, leather, and cigar box. The deep, concentrated core of rosemary-roasted black plum and purple fruit plays the base for the high toned spicy and floral accents while a stiff backbone of mouthwatering acidity provides laser focus and freshness for the medium, fine-grained tannins that beg to be cut by fat. Well built, with impressive concentration and length, it has the stuffing to age gracefully for years to come.