Weekly Wine Review - Malbec - 2010 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Terroir

In honor of Dennis Rodman's pilgrimage to North Korea (not really, just a coincidence), we are having a weekend of Korean inspired dishes. One night is Korean Flank Steak with Jasmine Rice and the other will be Korean Short Ribs with an Asian Cole Slaw. For the Korean Flank Steak (which we have at least every 3 weeks or so) - I picked this Malbec from Argentina.  Not sure what the entire name is supposed to mean but  it basically translates to high or tall ants. I'm guessing the vineyard had some ant residents that may have led to the name.  I am hopeful that the ants were not any part of the winemaking process, although I guess they would have added some healthy protein to the wine.
<+>

Wine: 2010 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Terroir
Region: Valle do Oco Mendoza, Argentina
Grape Varieties: Malbec
Obtained from: Purchased at Ultimate Wine Shop
Price: $14.00
Wino4Life Category: Everyday Wine
Aeration before tasting: Just a swirl or two, no special aeration.

Cork Condition: Composite Cork (made from scrap pieces of cork after real corks are cut out)  - no defects or issues.
Appearance: Wine is clear with a dark red core color and a water-white rim.
Aroma: I had trouble coaxing much in the way of aromas out of this one.  Some dark fruit like blackberry plus a hint of minerals.
Taste: Very restrained compared to more fruit forward Malbecs I am used to.  I had paired this with a slightly spicy Korean Flank Steak, and the lack of fruit did not play nicely with the Srirachi Sauce in the steak marinade.  Almost more of an old world/French style to the wine with less emphasis on fruit.  A bit of a lean wine, however it does have a nice balance of acidity and soft tannins.

The Grade: I give this one a B-.  My choice for food pairing with this wine was a definite miss, but if you are looking for a Malbec that is less of a fruit bomb than many others - this could be a good choice.  For me I count on my Argentinian Malbecs to be nice and fruity - so I will skip this one in the future.