This wine is a bit of Argentine history. Gastao Goulart originally planted the Bodega Goulart vineyard in 1915 to Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. At the time, he was a Brazilian political exile living in Argentina at the time. Soon after, he became a South American legend when he returned to his homeland and led its Constitutional Revolution in 1932. The vineyard was lost to time and war, but the vines somehow thrived on their own.
Flash forward to 1988, and Goulart’s granddaughter, Erika Goulart, discovered the deed to the vineyard in his papers. According to the papers, it was located in Luján de Cuyo, one of the very best sub-regions in Mendoza. She left for Mendoza almost immediately thereafter, leaving her life as a marketing professional forever. She teamed up with Mauricio Parodi, one of the top agronomists working in Mendoza. It took about 6 years to rebuild the gnarly old vineyards. Once they were ready to make wine, she brought on Luis Barraud –the guy who runs Paul Hobbs winery in Mendoza–as the consulting winemaker.
Wine Review of Bodega Goulart 2010 “The Marshall” Malbec
If there is a wine that could be called democratic –appealing to everyone except the most snobbish of snobby wine snobs– this would be it. This wine waves its ruby hue like a victory flag. Aromas of cocoa and tobacco are followed by a round and full body. The tannins are full and ripe, pushing forward flavors of creme de cassis, mocha, and cherry dust. An ample amount of oak is evident in the vanilla and toasted spices in the finish. Things tighten up a bit on the finish, but this is a lovely bottle for the price. 90 Points