The Data

Country   USA

Appellation   Rogue Valley

Varietal   Malbec

Retail Price   $34

ABV   13.3%

Score   4 Stars/93 points

In the Glass

Brilliant, deep ruby color.

The aromatics are very intense offering scents of blackberry and raspberry with supporting notes of black tea, graphite, cocoa, slate, and cigar box.

The palate confirms the nose delivering a black fruit-driven core with flavors of black cherry, plum, hibiscus flower, and black pepper. The finish is long and lingering with chewy tannins and subtle oak accents.

Full-bodied and ideally balanced with a meaty texture.

Cool Factor

We have learned in 2020 that the wines from 2Hawk are absolutely cool. We have a love-hate relationship with Malbec at BevX. When it's right — it's beautiful like this 2Hawk Malbec.

Value Grade

You will be hard-pressed to find a better or more stylish Malbec for the money so despite the $34 price tag we find it to be a very good value.

Analysis

2Hawk shows us what New World Malbec can be. It's balanced, nuanced, with loads of earth and spice acting as the perfect companion to the dense black fruits. This is 2Hawk's first estate Malbec and it's a strong statement. If your only experience with Malbec is a dense, fruit-bomb that is more redolent of Port than Cahors try this wine! In the Rogue Valley the growing season followed a record snowfall from the winter before. A rather normal spring flowed into a warm summer through mid-July. In August cool temperatures returned allowing the fruit to develop and ripen slowly. Fall continued the cool trend and harvest began on September 8 with the last of the fruit coming in on November 2. This wine was rested in French oak — 13% new, 57% two-years old, and 30% neutral — for a period of 17 months. A real beauty.

How to Enjoy

Please decant this wine so it can show you all of its nuances. Serve with roasted duck, any rich braise with mushrooms, or wild boar.