Ullage!

Use this word around your wine drinking friends and they are sure to be dumbstruck by your impeccable viticulture knowledge. Ullage is the space in a wine bottle containing no wine, the distance between the bottom of the cork and the wine. Furthermore you can watch their heads cave in when you let them know the word comes from the latin oculus, meaning eye. Even more the Romans used it figuratively for the bung of a barrel. Now watch your friends eyes glaze over as they contemplate your bad ass snobbery. Pat yoursef on the back,  you truly are an indispensable source of haughtiness.

Now for a review.


A few years ago, I for the first time tried a malbec. It was bought on a whim from the local grocer, was very affordable, I was impressed and have tried many since. The malbec grape hails from the Bordeaux region of France and is used as blending grape for the wines of the region. More recently it is a prized varietal in Argentina. The bottle up for review is Colores Del Sol vintage 2009 from Mendoza, Argentina and can be had for $9.99 a bottle.


Soon after peeling away the wrapper, I of course noticed the ullage.  Three eighths of an inch by estimation. Pour, swirl, sniff, inhale. Spice and black berry immediately jump out.  Sip, swish, savor. Black berry and pepper are the first flavors I notice followed by jam and plum with the slightest note of cola.  Earthy tannins and a long not so clean finish make for a rustic yet pleasant wine.  This offering has enough body to stand up to summer BBQ or even spicy Mexican foods. Overall I am still impressed with this wine and at $9.99 you can't go wrong.