In vino veritas
Gauchito Gil Malbec Day
Carriageworks
Sydney, Australia
April 14, 2019
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Being the Argentinean equivalent to Robin Hood, Gauchito Gil enjoyed outlaw status not unlike Ned Kelly on terra australis. It is not further wondrous that with his “taking from the rich and given to the poor” ethos, he has become a veritable folk hero with the day of death of this “Patron Saint of Thieves” having become somewhat of a national holiday in the Southern part of Latin America.
Given that the Land of Silver is considered to be the mecca of the red wine known as Malbec, it makes sense for his memory to be honoured with the annual wine, tango extravaganza and empanada party that Revel has established as a renowned brand under its illustrious umbrella in Australia.
Having emerged from the entity that went under the umbrella of Bottle Shop Concepts, Revel is THE team when it comes to all things wine and fun with a wide range of events and remarkable experiences that have become fixtures on every connoisseurs social calendar, e.g. Palooza, Game of Rhones, Mould: A Cheese Festival amongst others.
While Revel’s other events always offer a carefully curated range of wine from around the globe, this one has its focus firmly on what has become known as the rich and flavourful vino with its trademark stouty, dark fruit nuances and smoky finish that is never not a delight to indulge in.
Today’s Malbec event with the carefully selector wineries, was the ultimate education platform for the variation of nuanced flavors of Malbec, which cover an interesting range from sweet via savoury.
A new discovery were the French varieties that are less heavy on the fruity characters and more dominant in terms of displaying bitter and at times leathery nuances along with ample acidity and spicy hints that add to the core DNA of what Malbec can be condensed down to.
It was interesting to partake in vertical tasting that some of the wineries proffered and accompanied by expert commentary, light was shed on how e.g. temperature shifts or the discrepancy between hot days and cold night result in the maturation of grapes resulting in region-specifc flavours.
Discoveries of the day include the Malbec Rosé Uco Valley, Mendoza, 2017 from boutique producer Aluvión, the emission from the Michelini’s project SuperUco, i.e. the excellent Calcerio ‘Rio’ Malbec, and Australia’s Cullen Winery with its PF Malbec, Margaret River.
