 Always
go for the GUSTO! (pronounced GOOSTO) – Words to live
by…that being said, in making the GUSTO, I go to the far
corners of the globe! GUSTO is my international brand
started in 1997, to produce wines from grapes that have
distinct personalities when they come from a very
specific location and climate. Like the Sauvignon Blanc
many of you have experienced from the Marlborough region
of New Zealand and this Malbec; which comes from high in
the foothills of the Andes Mountains outside the town of
Mendoza in Argentina. Malbec is a grape that grows in a
few wine regions of the world, but is rarely bottled by
itself. It is always used as a blending grape.
For example in the Bordeaux region of France it is in
most of the great wines, but only in small percentages
to add a spicy element, helping give complexity to the
Cabernet or Merlot. In some areas it is added because of
its dark color and or to add richness in lighter
vintages. But in these high desert vineyards, some as
high as 4500 feet above sea level, it takes on a very
complete and delicious personality. The year-round snow
pack in the peaks of the Andes Mountains sends down dry,
cool breezes every afternoon to slow down the vines,
lengthening the ripening and making the growing season
very long; much like the coastal influence in my
California vineyards.
Maybe so much that the grapes would not even ripen
here in California or France by the time the winter
rains begin. But in Argentina the area is high desert
and the risk of rain after harvest is very low so the
growers can wait and wait, letting the grapes hang on
the vine achieving great complexity and richness and
letting the tannins in the wine become very silky.
The Malbec achieves the very spicy and rich character it
shows in the other areas of the world while also hanging
long enough to get a juicy black cherry and berry side
and wonderful mouth coating textures and still keep the
bright acidity too.
Another great feature of this Malbec is that it
drinks beautifully at release yet blossoms gracefully
with age too. Since Argentina is in the Southern
Hemisphere their summer is during our winter and the
grapes ripen in April instead of October. I first went
to work a volunteer harvest there in 1997 and made my
own Malbec from grapes in these mountain vineyards in
Mendoza in 1999.
Our 2000 GUSTO Malbec was named as one of the “TOP
100 WINES OF THE YEAR” by Beverage Testing Institute! I
only make about 300 cases of the wine and it always goes
quick. It is important to savor this one even more than
all the rest!! Why? Because with going to New Zealand
for Sauvignon Blanc in March, and then home again to
check on the vineyards, then off to Argentina in
April…no matter how fun it has become…I have chosen to
narrow my focus; and this is the last GUSTO Malbec.
Unfortunately some great things do come to an end.
Love and enjoy this unique wine in the setting that drew
me to Argentina almost as much as the Malbec and that is
with a warmth and passion for life, spending time at the
table with great friends and family. Because of the
unfortunate economic conditions for my friends in
Argentina, I have been able to reduce the price from $30
to $25 on this vintage for my friends here in America. |
