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Gonzales Wine Company 2021 Gold Vineyard Malbec
The Gold Standard
While backpacking in Argentina, Cristina Gonzales stopped in Mendoza for dinner. The grilled steak was delicious, but it was the glass of Malbec that grabbed her attention.
That glass of Malbec stayed with Cristina, even after she returned home. Soon it called her away to work harvests around the globe, from Australia to California. She worked at the side of winemakers creating all manner of styles of wines, but she also bonded with the vineyard stewards who were raising and processing the grapes. Their expertise inspired her, and the shared language bonded them.
In 2010, almost ten years after that first fateful glass of Malbec, Gonzales Wine Company was born. Cristina began making wines that she herself loves to drink—aromatic whites, like Riesling and Gewürtztraminer, and bold reds, like Syrah and Petit Verdot. Her signature wine, made vintage after vintage, is of course Malbec.
We felt that any winemaker with a tattoo of Malbec on their forearm deserved to be in this flight.
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Gonzales Wine Company, Portland, Oregon
2021 Gold Vineyard Malbec
The latest vintage of Gold Vineyard Malbec delivers an elegant, elevated wine worthy of its name. This is just one of two expressions of Malbec from Gonzales Wine Company for 2021.
The wine opens with both fruit and dust on the nose, featuring marionberry and blueberries and cream. A sip unleashes Malbec's characteristic blue fruit in the form of blueberry pie, bolstered with almond extract and powdered sugar. A balanced acidity tempers the fruit. The long, elegant finish is punctuated by dry tannin.
Worthy of a lovely feast but versatile enough for everyday meals, the Gold Vineyard Malbec harmonizes with both richness and spice. We recommend Tikka masala, balsamic-glazed brussels sprouts, pork with parmesan polenta, and chile relleno.
Appellation: Rogue Valley Vineyard: Gold Vineyard, Talent, Oregon Date Harvested: October 20, 2021 Bottle Chemistry: pH: 3.9, TA: 5.6, ALC: 12.7% Production: 49 cases
For those of you lucky enough to get four reds from us in your release, you not only have a vintage comparison but also a vineyard/producer comparison in that this vineyard was planted by legendary Oregon viticulturist Randy Gold. It sits on the opposite side of the valley from the Peter William Vineyard, also planted by Randy.
A Cellar 503 selection in April 2024, Malbec in the City Rogue Valley | Malbec
