Bodegas Caro, Mendoza (Argentina) Malbec 2018

 This Malbec is an unusual wine for Bodegas Caro, a collaboration between Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) and Nicolas Catena, two stars in the wine world.  It is unusual because they pride themselves on combining two winemaking cultures, Bordeaux and Argentina, and their two respective grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, but there’s no Cab in this.  Ideas evolve and it’s perhaps not surprising that they would produce a 100 percent Malbec since that grape is emblematic of Argentina.  (As an aside, Lafite had Malbec planted in their vineyards in the 19th century.)  The 2018 Aruma focuses on ripe, dark fruit with soft tannins balanced by good acidity.  It may lack the wonderful complexity of Bodegas Caro’s Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec blend, but it’s hard to find stylish, ready-to-drink Malbec at this price.