Kim Uncorked: Welcome to my weekly wine recommendation.
Hi, I’m Kim, a passionate lover of wine, food, and any experience that brings the two together! In this weekly blog post, I share my thoughts on a wine that I’ve recently purchased from one of our local independent wine merchants. If you’d like to know more about me, I’ve included a brief bio following the post.
2019 Familia Furlotti Malbec
Lunlunta, Mendoza
Argentina Red Wine
Village Liquor Store
$30.34
C1 – 900 Main Street, West Vancouver
The first wine that launched my wine journey was an Argentinian Malbec. I still remember that first sip. After a year or two of quaffing simple vin de table wines, this was something different.There was texture on the palate, along with notes of leather, spice, and smoke. I may not yet have had the vocabulary to articulate what I was experiencing, but I knew the wine offered something deeper, and I wanted to learn more. My enthusiasm for wine has led me to the great wines of France, Italy, and Spain, but I’ve retained a fondness for Argentine Malbec, considering it one of
the finest values in well-structured, age-worthy wine.
The 2019 Familia Furlotti Malbec is a traditional, small-production wine from Lunlunta, Mendoza, crafted by Gabriela Furlotti in collaboration with legendary local winemaker Carmelo Patti. Furlotti revived her family’s historic estate, originally founded in 1914, with a focus on authentic, unfiltered wines that preserve the character of Mendoza’s old vineyards. The fruit comes from historic Malbec vines planted in 1936 at an elevation of 1000 meters on rich alluvial soils. Patti’s classic old-world philosophy—native yeasts, minimal intervention, and patient
aging—brings elegance, structure, and balance to the wine, lending it a refined Bordelaise style.
The 2019 vintage shows a medium to dark garnet hue with aromas of cassis, raspberry, forest floor, and leather. The palate is medium-plus in body with polished tannins and bright acidity, offering layers of plum, raspberry, leather, and sous bois. Structured yet balanced, it finishes with a distinctive savoury element that highlights both the vineyard’s altitude and old-vine character.
Argentinian Malbec pairs well with grilled or smoked meats, like pork ribs or sausages. For a classic pairing, try a grilled steak with chimichurri sauce.
Kim Mead is a Vancouver-based wine and food writer. She holds the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines with Merit, the French Wine Scholar designation with Honours, and Italian Wine Essentials certification. She is currently pursuing the Bordeaux Master's program with the Wine Scholar Guild. Kim serves as Cellar Master for the Vancouver chapter of the International Wine and Food Society and is a member of the Commanderie de Bordeaux. Follow her @agalandaglass