The Gourmez

Tinto Negro Malbec 2010 Mendoza, Argentina   This malbec smells like sour berries, wood, and unsweetened cocoa. It tastes surprisingly savory, almost like a beef broth at first, complete with the carrot, celery, and bay leaf flavoring. It’s pretty dry with that brothy undertone. Medium-bodied, clove and star anise spices burn on the aftertaste. However, [...]

Vinos Finos y Picadas 8450 Honeycutt Road Lafayette Village, North Raleigh Website Bites: $3–$8 Cheese & Meat Plates: $10–$30 Vinos Finos y Picadas is a South American wine bar in the new Lafayette Village shopping plaza that’s designed to look like a European village in the tradition of Epcot and Las Vegas before it.

Arge & Tina Malbec 2009 San Juan, Argentina Who can resist a pun like this wine’s name? Mr. Gourmez won this bottle of wine at a trivia game—hooray, free wine! Nail polish and heavy spice meet my nose, but I’ve found a nail polish smell does not always make a nail polish wine. Tobacco is [...]

2 Copas Red 2009 Mendoza, Argentina The spice of this tempranillo and malbec blend comes on too strongly at first but quickly mellows as I drink it (isn’t that somehow always the case?) Raspberries and strawberries round out that very spicy profile, which may be extra strong because it tastes young. Cardamom and vanilla come [...]