{"product_id":"lot-637-2024-napa-valley-malbec-6-pack","title":"Lot 637 | 2024 Napa Valley Malbec 6-pack","description":"\u003cp\u003e***BOTTLING EARLY DECEMBER, SHIPPING SHORTLY AFTER***\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was worth the wait.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Napa, Malbec is often celebrated as “one of Bordeaux's five noble red varietals.” Sure, that sounds lofty, but it rarely gets top billing. The grape only accounts for 1% of production across the valley and is typically deployed as a supporting player in Cab-dominated blends, so you have to wonder: if it’s so noble, why hasn’t it had a more prolific solo career in these parts? Just look at the extraordinary success the Argentinians have achieved, or the legendary estates of Cahors – Malbec's ancestral home in southwest France.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn fairness to Napa, Malbec is a \u003cem\u003ephenomenal\u003c\/em\u003e team player, with its deep color, backbone, and velvety texture a favorite of winemakers as a “final missing piece” elevating some of the greatest red blends in the world. But given the supply economics and how rarely you come across a peak single-varietal expression here, it certainly feels like Malbec is getting short shrift. Not on our watch – today, we’re thrilled to welcome a new Napa Valley Malbec back to the lineup for the first time in two years!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLot 637 is one of the most beautiful wines in this rare category we’ve ever had the pleasure of acquiring. A gorgeous single-vineyard 100% Malbec from a historic family estate whose winemaking roots stretch back long before the valley became a household name for luxury reds, it reflects their equally pioneering commitment to farming – longstanding low-intervention practices let the land speak for itself, yielding some of the finest natural expressions in wine country. An elegant, \u003cem\u003eterroir\u003c\/em\u003e-driven passion project, this is precisely the kind of under-the-radar gem we live for: a rare standalone showcase of a noble grape, backed by generations of expertise from a producer whose reputation was built in the vineyard. Declassifying the sub-appellation off the label allowed us to negotiate extra aggressively, which means this stunner originally in $80\/bottle territory is now available to you under $20. That’s a savings of over 75% OFF to our readers!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur price: $109\/6-pack, $18+\/bottle!\u2028\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMalbec isn’t the easiest grape to grow. Once a major player in Bordeaux, it was dealt a massive blow when frosts in 1956 wiped out huge amounts of acreage. Rather than replant, many producers turned to more robust alternatives. Beyond its vulnerability to frost, Malbec is notoriously susceptible to coulure (poor fruit set) and certain diseases, demanding a surgeon’s touch in the vineyard. Not everyone has the chops to take it on, but when you have serious viticultural expertise, the right piece of land, and 100% fine French oak, the results can be magnificent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeautifully dark on the pour, the wine opens with a nose filled with blackberries, plums, and tobacco bolstered by cocoa powder and subtle accents of sage and graphite. A floral wisp of iris and violets hovers throughout – an element that only the finest Malbecs display. It translates beautifully to the palate, where concentrated dark fruit, light pepper flakes, and warm baking spices unfold across deep structure, balanced acidity, and plentiful medium-grained chewy tannins. The finish is long and dry, with blueberries and blackberries resonating amidst elegant barrel spice before yielding to iris and vanilla. This is a beautiful Malbec just screaming for a steak.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e15.1% alc\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"de Négoce","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57653818917030,"sku":"CASE.6PACK.OG0637","price":109.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0338\/3299\/2908\/files\/Lot637-24NapaValleyMalbec.png?v=1792071828","url":"https:\/\/www.denegoce.com\/products\/lot-637-2024-napa-valley-malbec-6-pack","provider":"de Négoce","version":"1.0","type":"link"}