Malbec and Veal

Wine: 2006 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Alamos Selección
Meal: Grilled veal chop with garlic-sauteed green beans and bell pepper

Tasting notes on the wine:

Color: 5/5
Dark, black plum, clearing out at the edges, clean, with good legs.

Nose: 12/15
Right out of the bottle, bacon predominates the nose. Through time, floral notes show through, along with leather and dark fruits.

Flavor: 8/10
Very fruit-forward, but not quite a fruit bomb. Lots of blueberries and plum, smoke, and violets. It makes me think of a cross between Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Finish: 8/10
Lasts about 30 seconds. At first it didn't seem very tannic, but as time wore on, the tannins began to show through, which I thought was kind of backwards to what you typically see. I get a good hit of oak and berries.

Aging: 3/5
With the fruits and tannins, I'd say this one will do just fine with some time in the cellar. Drink now - 2015.

Overall: 4/5
Really great wine. Easy to drink, but it does better with food than on its own.

Total: 90pts

With the characteristics of both PS and CS, this wine becomes a very versatile drink. Good with chicken, beef, lamb, veal, pork... Just about anything. It takes about 20 minutes in the glass to really open up nicely, and at about 40 minutes hits its sweet spot and holds steady for quite some time. If you're into the "correct" stemware, I found that this works better in a Syrah glass than a Cabernet - which, as it turns out, is what Riedel recommends.

Want to make this meal?

Grilled Veal with Garlic-Sauteed Veggies
1/4 - 1/2 lb veal chop, cut to 1/2" thickness
kosher salt
1/8 tsp coursely ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup cut green beans
1 yellow bell pepper, diced

Salt and pepper the veal chop and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before placing on the grill. Cook for approx. 8 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and let rest.

In a saute pan, place olive oil and butter and heat until butter has melted. Add garlic and a pinch of salt, stirring gently until garlic becomes fragrant. Toss in green beans and bell pepper, and saute until tender-crisp, or about 5-6 minutes.

Enjoy!