Semi opaque, lighter shade of purple in the glass with no legs evident.  The nose is very fruity and dare I say somewhat candied?  Raspberries and red twizzlers come to mind.  On the palate it’s a touch sour right off the bat.  Rhubarb, raspberries and other red fruits get melded into a somewhat acidic opening.  The mid palate is a touch thin for me, more red fruits and a hint of tannins.  The finish is where the acidity grips my tooth enamel alongside the very lithe tannins.  There’s a tug of war here between the structural pieces and the red primal fruits.  I hope the fruit puts on a better effort because the wine is a little light on flavor and heavy on acid.  It gets better with a bit of air and I hope it pairs well with leftover beef and wild rice.  87 points.  For $11, its a 3 star wine to drink till 2023.  Salut….

Really bright purple in the glass, nice legs too!  On the nose I get candied plum, oak shavings, blackberry preserves.  On the palate it is quite tart, but interesting.  Plums, ganache, chocolate dust and curt tannins all hit me on the initial.  The mid palate is where the tannic grip takes hold.  Dark stone fruits galore and an astringent tea make up the main profile.  On the finish this wine gives me black olives, plums, tea and that tannic bite which lasts for over thirty seconds.  Not a bad drop.  89 points from me and 5 stars for this $10 Malbec.  Drink now with hearty dishes or cellar medium term for a smoother drinking wine.  Salut….

Slightly less opaque than what I was imagining for this Malbec.  Good color though.  The nose has a candy note, some fresh oak and some blackberries.  I’ll admit, the candy part does not appeal to my taste.  On the palate it is quite refreshing, light in body but thick in flavor.  Black berries, kirsch and bramble. There is a chewiness that I am enjoying.  This wine is very dark fruit forward.  Structure-wise it is built for immediate quaffing with very little tannic backbone, very gentle acidity and an easy mouthfeel.  It is not complex but offers easy enjoyment and gets 87 points from me.  For the price under $10 it’s a decent summer barbecue wine that I might take into the fall as an excellent part of coq au vin, even beef burgundy.  I think it would work quite well.  4 stars.  Salut….

Dark purple, barely see through.  The nose is somewhat candied, purple licorice, plum cake and Christmas pudding.  On the palate it shows off much more pleasant notes of black currants, iodine and fruit cake.  The mid palate is quite abrupt as are the mild tannins that permeate.  The finish is not as smooth as the front half and lacks any acidity.  Overall this is a pleasant wine that gets 87 points. The pro’s went much higher, 91 points in one case.  I just did not get the same level of satisfaction unfortunately.  $18 make it a 3 point wine for me.  Salut….

I have been a fan of Trivento for a while now and have reviewed several vintages of the Golden Reserve Malbec.  This one is particularly good and I am glad I bought a few bottles for the cellar.  I suggest you do too!  Almost inky in the glass, it is brooding and alluring.  On the nose I’m getting blackberry, sweet plums and a touch of cedar plank.  The palate is very much dominated by black fruits and a bold tannic attack.  The blackberry component really shines through on the midpalate with a core of tannins that grip the gums.  Acidity is present but the tannins are very fresh and dominate.  The finish is medium long with a jam component and some chocolate dust.  The ever present tannins do not taper off for a while.  This wine is young but drinkable now. It will last and develop for at least 15 years.  I’m thinking it needs a Portehouse steak with au gratin potatoes and a Caeser salad.  91 points and for $22, 5 stars.  Salut…

Dark purple in the glass, very dense.  The nose sports some really delicious aromas of blueberry, spice box and some oak.  I also get a whiff of twizzlers right at the end.

On the palate the blueberry theme continues, laced with a ton of tannins that leave the gums all dry.  The wine has some juicy acidity, which is needed considering the dryness I am encountering.  The blue fruits continue onto the finish, which is quite long.  A certain floral hint hits the mid palate that melds well with the berry component.  I am digging this wine and reckon it would really do well with Ribeye and roasted sweet potato rounds.  It begs for a fatty cut to offset the tannins, which are very tightly wound and help build the backbone of this wine.  I would drink till 2024.  90 points from me, but I just looked up my order and noticed it got 95 from Decanter, that’s a big score.  I paid $20, but it was on sale from $40.  3 stars for retail pricing but a 4 star effort for the sale price!  Salut….