One thing runs through winemaker Luke Bass’ mind when he pours a Malbec.
“I like the fruit,” he explained. “That’s my objective, to accentuate the fruit.”
The 2013 Boatique Malbec could be compared to a bowl of ripe blackberries. The rich fruit cascades across your palate, brightened by a freshly squeezed pomegranate sensation. Perhaps a little plum sneaks into the mix, as well, yet this is not a cloying, or jammy wine.
“It’s about the fruit, but it’s not in your face,” Bass observed. “It’s just yummy.”
There are, however, subtle shades the wine. While blackberry also dominates on the nose, soft petals of violet flutter into your peripheral field, as more rustic notes — piled gravel buried deep under the thick fruit, toasted wood and bubbling molasses sensed as if from a great distance.
The floral notes are more reminiscent of the French varietals. Perhaps they are an expression of the barrels, for Bass works exclusively with French oak, about 30 percent of it new, not only resting the Malbec for 18 months in the wood, but also pressing off the wine at just over 5 brix so fermentation could finish in the casks.
To Bass, American oak is too brazen, imparting its own distinct flavors.
“French oak integrates much more,” he explained. “I haven’t made friends with American oak yet.”
Bass treated the Malbec gently, much as he would a Pinot Noir. As a result the wine revels in natural fruit, yet with those friendly traces of earth and meadow always calling out to you. It is a cleverly balanced wine with muted, but velvety tannins and just enough acidity to emphasize the freshness of the berries.
“I’m pretty happy,” the Boatique winemaker said. “It’s less tannic than it could be.”
While Bass lends some credit to the winemaking process, he offers more to terroir — the narrative that develops as the land, location and vicissitudes of vintage weave their way into the vines.
Malbec thrives at higher elevation. When the phylloxera epidemic wiped out much of the old world crop in the late 1800s, vines planted in the mountains of Argentinia spurred the varietal’s long recovery.
To Bass, the Red Hills AVA of Lake County deserve a lot of credit for Boatique’s 2013 Malbec.
“I don’t know what it is about that site,” he said, “but the Malbec is incredible.”
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
