Bonarda, an Argentine grape, accounts for more acreage than Malbec in Argentina.  Despite this, I’d guess that most people in the U.S. probably haven’t heard of it.  In fact, I have to admit that I am speaking from experience: up until I came into possession of this bottle by gift a few weeks ago, I hadn’t heard of it either.

The Sur de los Andes Bonarda 2006 is an interesting wine.  It’s priced right for every day drinking and has a combination of flavors and aromas that strikes me as unusual: blackberry, pomegranate, the sweet tobaccoey smell of a cigar box and, at the back end, even iced tea.  The mouthfeel is even stranger: it has a light to medium body with some serious acidity.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I took my first sip — but now, it’s definitely on my radar for the future. 

If you’re looking for something to (figuratively speaking) spice things up a bit, this is definitely your wine.