I dread Fridays. It is always the last day of a long weeks work. This past one ended disappointingly by a dinner cancellation. My mood did not improve with a wet cycle down the Botley Road. I tried entering the Oxford Wine Company’s shop quietly so I wouldn’t disturb the Argentinean tasting in session. The loud pinging as the door opened made that impossible.

My luck changed then. Aljoscha Wright must have seen the look of desperation/frustration/ stress on my face, and put his glass of La Linda Malbec (£8.99) in my hand. The red was exactly what I needed. It is a simple wine with lots of dark fruit flavour, an acidic lift, and chewy toasted coconut finish. Needless to say I drank it straight down. 

The export manager for the Luigi Bosca, Soledad Martin, was explaining how Argentina “plays with altitude, like France plays with latitude.” The next wine was the Luigi Bosca Malbec (£12.99). This was very similar to the first, with a bit more complexity on the front. One of the tasters liked it, but said it was too much a “house wine.” Meaning it does what it says on the tin. It is a classic Malbec, no surprises, and very consistent year on year. It is a bit pricey for a description like that.

When the next wine came around, there was a big sigh from a gentleman near me. He took a sip and said,  “When I have been working in the garden, and the weather is cold or wet and I come in and need a cuddle, I open this wine.”  His wife looked at me and rolled her eyes.  It was the Gala 4 Luigi Bosca (£19.99). It has the aroma of dark chocolate, and is extremely complex.  It is only made in limited quantity. Once it goes, you won’t get any more until the next season.

The last of the night was the Bosca de Sangre, which is a Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot blend. Again this is a bold wine. It has an earthy aroma and smoky vanilla finish. Sadly, it is not yet available at the Oxford Wine Company. You can here my daily wine rants on twitter, follow me @SauvignonBlonde.