Buying a bottle of Malbec can be a somewhat mysterious experience, as the grape — much like Chardonnay — can be so many different things. Think of Malbec as the Peter Sellers of grapes: so many disguises and personalities, and you’re never quite sure which one you will get.
Of one thing there is little doubt: Malbec from Argentina is nearly always a good value. (Though we’ll see how long that lasts, as more and more people are discovering the grape, and demand is increasing.) However, it can be soft and easy, lively and vivacious, or bold and dominating. There are simple Malbecs that you may chill for a while and enjoy with chicken salad, and there are complex, full-flavored, tannic Malbecs that you store in the cellar for 10 years or more.
Never having the Gascon Malbec before, I had no idea what to expect. Since it cost only about nine bucks, I figured there was a good chance it would be on the fun and fruity side, soft, and easy drinking. Boy was I wrong, and knew it the minute I stuck my nose in the glass. Green, herbal, earthy aromas dominate the nose, saddled by black fruits, black pepper, and a touch of tar. On the palate, it’s all black, ripe fruit, with black pepper, tar, and hints of tobacco, wrapped with ripe tannins and a good level of acidity. The finish is mostly tar, tobacco, and black pepper, and is longer than expected, carried by the medium-high level of tannins and acidity. Final verdict? This is an excellent value, a bold red wine begging for steak, chops, or cheese. And if you like a wine in this style, it is fairly enjoyable all by itself.
Note: I recorked the half-full bottle and stuck it in the fridge, and two days later it was nearly as enjoyable as when it was freshly opened. To me that makes it all the more valuable.
a-8 t-7 b-8 fc-8 v-10 = 91 Points
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Viognier (vee-ohn-YAY) has historically been a fairly rare grape, grown primarily in the Rhone Valley region of France and most famous for a wine called Condrieu (kohn-dree-yuh ). Even as recently as 20 years ago, no more than 100 acres of Viognier vineyards were planted worldwide — the bulk of it still in the Rhone with some coming out of the Languedoc-Roussillon region (also in France) — mostly due to its tiny yields, inconsistent ripening, and small demand. 
While it’s obvious that most wines are made from grapes, it’s uncommon for a pontificator such as myself to describe one as “grapey” … we wine snobs and scribes are more apt to attach descriptors such as “forest-floor earthiness”, “musky feral aromas”, “baritone richness”, and my recent favorite, “umami character” (you can’t make this stuff up!).
One of my favorite varietals in the world is Barbera, particularly from the Piedmont region of Italy, and specifically from the areas of Asti, Alba, and Monferrato. The nice thing about Barbera imported from Italy is that, generally speaking, you get what you pay for, and there are excellent bottles starting around 12 bucks all the way through around forty, With my meager salary, I tend to stay in the under-$20 range, and there are plenty of good values to choose from. At the same time, I’m always on the lookout for an Italian Barbera at ten bucks or less. They’re hard to find, but usually worth my hard-earned dollars.
One of my favorite wine regions in the world is Tuscany, Italy, the home of, among others, Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Carmignano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and Morellino di Scansano. Perhaps the reason Tuscan wines tug at my heartstrings is all the Sangiovese flowing. Sangiovese-based wines tend to be high in acidity, yet tempered with tannins, and bursting with ripe cherry fruit; all these elements combine to create a wine that matches perfectly with all kinds of foods.