“It’s off-the-beaten-path wines and wineries like this that
keep my interest and add excitement these days…”

Click image to enlarge.

Wapisa” is the indigenous Patagonian word for “whale.” Not only do whales frequent the nearby coast of our vineyards, but a local legend talks of a Wapisa that actually lived on land. Our wines, like the Wapisa, are an expression not just of their soils but of the nearby ocean as well.

My first encounter with the wines of Wapisa was just this past March, when our friendly neighborhood Costco briefly carried both the 2020 Pinot Noir and 2020 Malbec. They sold out fairly quickly, but I have seen both around town for a few bucks a bottle more, and frankly, they are worth the extra money if you should happen upon them.

I found the new vintage of Wapisa Malbec at the same Costco a few weeks ago, and immediately brought one home to try. I liked it so well, I went back a few days later, but the bin was empty. A few days after that, there was what looked like another case available, but that was last Thursday, so I don’t know if there is still any left. Like I said, this stuff sells quickly, and there’s a reason for that. It’s really quite good.

2021 Wapisa Malbec Patagonia, 13.8% alc., $14.79: This is deep, dark, delicious and perhaps more approachable at a similar age than its predecessor. The first thing I notice about this is that it has none of the oak-char flavors and aromas that seem so prevalent in most of the Argentine reds I’ve tried over the past several years. Rich, intense and a little earthy, the fruit speaks for itself, with lots of black currant, black plum and even a little blueberry. This is a full-bodied wine, with the structure to age for a few years or five, but it’s pretty damned tasty right now, with just a little bit of air. I gave it 15 minutes in a decanter and it worked just fine. Find this wine

A few days after trying this one, I opened our last 2020 Wapisa Malbec, and it is drinking very nicely, so much so, that I wish I had another case. It’s off-the-beaten-path wines and wineries like this that keep my interest and add excitement these days, and, considering how much I like these wines from Wapisa, I’m looking forward to trying the 2021 Pinot Noir, if and when it happens to come around. 

Wapisa imported by Vino del Sol, Paso Robles, CA

Reporting from Day-twah,
Bastardo

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