This was a generic photo, and I’m not actually sure which Cadus we drank since I didn’t get to hold the bottle. With Hart et al.

Last night was a lesson on mismatched palette. Being guests at Pall Mall, I decided to be more deferent to the hosts, and we ended up drinking a series of, sigh, Argentinian Malbecs and Spanish Tempranillo.

In the glass: bright ruby with distinct purple hue. Full bodied with an opaque core. Very high concentration and extraction: thick lingering legs that stains the glass.

On the nose: Strong blueberry and blackcurrant. Earthy exhale. High alcohol on the nose. Strong oak. Plum. Big. Round. I actually thought this could’ve been a Merlot dominant blend when I first tasted it

On the palate: slightly sweet on entry, mild but pleasurable grippy tannins. Very high alcohol >14, probably closer to 14.5%. This is high concentration and intensity.

I find Malbecs of this style tricky. It’s borderline jammy, very heavy on the oak. It’s very intense from the ripeness of the fruit coupled with that alcohol. I think of it like Syrahs: Malbecs are palette blasters and it’s hard to drink anything else after. Avoid.