Three ravens are just outside my window this morning, watching me with their beady black eyes.
It is fitting that they are nearby as I write about the Alma Negra M Blend. The wine is cloaked in darkness; the black label reveals only a shadow of a masked face. Sinister, sneering, ghostly.
The bottle label speaks of the "mystery behind a mask," and pays tribute to that with this "unique and mysterious blend" of Argentina grapes.
The wine also is dark, unyielding to light.
It is made primarily from the Bonarda grape with some Malbec blended in, and is sourced from Argentina's famed Mendoza region. Bonarda was once the most widely planted red-wine grape variety in Argentina, now out-planted by Malbec, and was known for producing light-bodied, fruity wines. When using the concentrated fruit from old-vine grapes, and oak aging the wine, however, Bonardas can be big and dense with rich tannins. Such is the case with the Alma Negra.
On the nose are rich black fruit and cocoa aromas, a touch of vanilla, and a zip of spice. The intense flavors showcase Bonarda's fruit with ripe blackberry and cherry, dried bramble fruits along with cocoa and spices. The palate is dense, with Malbec adding a velvety texture. Pleasant tannins add grip to the long finish.
The bold and earthy characteristics of this wine made it a good partner to oil-cured olives and salami.
Perhaps the ravens were drawn to the dark soul of this wine. Alma Negra's masked mystery makes it the thing to drink during October's season of ghouls and goblins.
