2008 La Posta Cocina Blend

This is another wine consumed between Christmas and New Year's. I believe we had this wine with empanadas stuffed with mildly spicy beef. The blend is 60% Malbec, 20% Bonarcha, and 20% Syrah from Mendoza Argentina. I believe this was a substitute offered by the staff at Total Wines when the Malbec I requested was unavailable. I can't be sure of the price, but I believe it was about $10. The color was a dark inky purple-garnet. On the nose there was blackberry and a little smoke. The flavor profile was blackberry and dark cherry with licorice on the finish. It was silky with soft tannins that actually became firmer as it opened. This is a good example of the hidden gems that are available at an affordable price if you just hunt around and take advantage of the sales staff's knowledge.