Bonarda 2007 Bodegas Nieto Senetiner

We are currently awash with malbec from Argentina at all price levels so that or a 50/50 cab franc/cab sauv blend is what I was thinking of getting.

I was in a wine store en route back home from work looking to pick up some vino to go with some roast lamb I intended to pick up from a local Greek restaurant to have for dinner.

This wine was suggested. Not ever having had this varietal I decided to "give it a go" and was not disappointed.

Very dark indeed purple colour. Nose was initially disappointing. Fairly tight, closed with a faint off-putting scent that suggested it may have been corked. That initial impression was completely wrong as the first taste was delcious. A lot of dark fruit, cassis and the like. A fair amount of tannin but not astringent. Quite enjoyed it with the food and by itself.

This particular bottle was quite stylish. Heavy bordeaux style with metal-looking plaques rather than a paper label. Purported to be a limited edition whatever that means in Argentina or with the winery. Not cheap at $34 [Cdn] but a good introduction to the wine.

Certainly have come a long way with Argentinian wines in these parts from the days, not all that long ago, where all you could find was cheap, generally uninteresting white "plonk" from Mendoza.

I will have to check to see if there are some more affordable, everyday drinking priced labels.

[David M. Bueker]

Bonarda is indeed interesting, though a "heavy" bottle and an embossed plaque would have put me off. That type of packaging is usually (though not always) a sign of an overwrought wine.

Hey Bob, good to see you here again. Miss our little chats and insights into new listings here there and everywhere. Hows Blue Mountain doing?

David B:

Your cynicism "mirrors" mine. I too am often leary of all show and $ having been spent on the packaging rather than the content.

I am glad that this did not turn out to be the case with this first bottle of Bonarda.


Bob Parsons:

As do I. With all the development and lately the bad weather, it is next to impossible to find parking and as a result I rarely pop into deVines like I used to.

Have not received any Blue Mountain wine in quite some time. The last one offered was their sparkling which I decided to take a pass on. I am afraid I have consumed most of what I had. Just a few bottles here and there.

Expect they will be releasing some more to coincide with the Okanagan Wine Festival come Spring.

Take care.