SUPERIOR WINE ALERT!

When we sleuth out a wine that really stands out, we issue a special alert. Today’s wine qualifies! With a delicious and approachable character, this wine is the best Malbec we have ever featured

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Mission Codename: Meticulous

Operative: Agent Red

Objective: Return to Ty Caton Vineyards to retrieve Ty’s brilliantly conceived 2006 Malbec

Mission Status: Accomplished!

Current Winery: Ty Caton Vineyards

Wine Subject: 2006 Ty Caton Malbec

Winemaker: Ty Caton

Backgrounder: One of the six component varietals that go into a true French Bordeaux wine, Malbec (named for the Hungarian peasant who first brought the grape to France) is a thin-skinned grape that requires more time to mature than its Bordeaux brethren, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In America, where very little Malbec is grown, the wine is often used as a minority component of Meritage blends. While Argentina is, perhaps, best-known for producing exceptional examples of the varietal, increasingly, California wineries are becoming more skilled in extracting a unique, and delicious, expression of the grape. Read Agent Red’s tasting notes and mission report below

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Intensely dark garnet with concentrated color right out to its edges. The wine is fast-moving when swirled and it show a tight surface. Thick legs turn skinny as the slowly move down the glass, and a fine amount of grit is scattered around the edges of the glass

Smell – Sweet aromas of plum, mixed dark berry and cassis lead the way, gently giving way to more subtle aromas of vanilla, toasted oak and soft earth. Under there are subtle hints of mocha and chestnut

Feel – Bright and rich, but still soft and light on the attack and then, gradually, dry and grippy at the mid-palate with a medium body and a supple tannic structure with a full and coating mouthfeel. Add to this a soft minerality that lingers on the back of the palate

Taste – Concentrated and lush fruit flavors of dark mixed berries, bright sweet cherry, cassis and sweet plum, with balanced and soft oak. These are followed by hints of supple leather, black pepper and soft spice

Finish – Solid and sweet with a long finish that showcases the sweet fruits, mineral and soft spice

Conclusion – We have featured very few examples of Malbec here. This one certainly stands out as the best California Malbec I have had the pleasure to imbibe! This is a truly delicious wine that is long on flavor, with a Ty Caton’ characteristic fruit-forwardness. Add to these wonderful flavors the deep aromatics and lush feel of the wine and you have one spectacular Malbec. Ty’s attention to the vineyards and his care during the winemaking process is apparent in all of his wines, particularly today’s stunning 2006 Ty Caton Malbec. When paring this wine with food, consider how you might pair with a Merlot or a slightly subdued California Cabernet Sauvignon. If you can, imagine that this wine is somewhere in-between. That is to say that while it has big flavors, the supple feel and bright acidity of the wine make it an easy paring partner that won’t overpower your meals. Decant for 30 or more minutes for best results and you will find that the wine softens and its flavors really shine through. Enjoy!

Mission Report:

Read about Agent Red’s original encounter with Ty Caton here when he discovered their Field Blend Red.

TY CATON: This is Ty.

AGENT RED: Ty Caton, Agent Red calling.

TY: Are we on a secure line?

RED: We are. I know how busy you are, so thanks for spending a few minutes with me today. Is harvest keeping you busy?

TY: Yes, but we’re about half way through. Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, and Petite Sirah are off – and next week the Cabernet Sauvignon will start to come off. By mid-month, we’ll be done and crush will continue. I won’t get a great until right around Thanksgiving!

RED: Such is the life of a winemaker, eh?!

TY: Indeed. I have to tell you, 2008 is looking really great. We had some crazy weather, but because of our elevation, we didn’t get hit hard by the frost like other wineries did.

RED: That’s good news! Tell me, Ty, how your career in winemaking began. Are you a lifer?

TY: Actually, I have a background in real estate development. When I was 26 years old, after completing a real estate project, I caught the wine bug. My parents has land in Napa. We became partners, and I began growing grapes.

RED: But that wasn’t enough for you, was it…

TY: No. I had made good friends with our neighbor, who was planting his vineyards at the same time. He turned out to be the winemaker for Ravenswood – and he continues with Ravenswood to this day.

RED: That’s Peter Mathis, right?

TY: Correct. We worked with Peter and, in 2000, released our first vintage. I’ve been honing my winemaking abilities ever since.

RED: I’d say that you’ve done a great job in that regard. Your 2005 Field Blend Red Wine is a super-delicious treat. Here at Wine Spies HQ, we really love the wine.

note: This was the wine we featured last year. We like today’s Malbec even better!]

TY: Thanks. The Field Blend Red is a really special wine. I call it my ‘mini-TyTanium’.

RED: So-called for your TyTanium wine – your flagship, right?

TY: Exactly, but where my TyTanium is a $65 wine, this Field Blend is less than half the price.

RED: We declare the wine to have an exceptional QPR. Its really a great wine, with very distinctive layers of aromas and unique flavors. Its delicious!

TY: I’m glad that you like it. I pick grapes for flavor and blend for maximum effect. I strive to create head turning wines that are rich and deep, yet approachable and fun to drink.

RED: Congratulations, then! You’ve managed just that with all of the Ty Caton wines we have tasted!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Ty Caton Vineyards tasting room can be seen in this satellite photo.