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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

A Cigar and Wine Review: La Gloria Cubana Serie R No. 7 and Catena Malbec 2008

Wino Wednesday Cigar Pairing

The Cigar
La Gloria Cubana Serie R No. 7

From the 3 pack tin
Wrapper: Ecuadoran Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Fillers: Dominican and Nicaraguan
(as stated on the tin)
Size: 7 x 58
My Strength Rating: 7.5

I have always enjoyed this line since it came out and that has been a good long friendship. I have found the wrapper to be inconsistent at times. Sometimes it can be jet black then, another stick can be black and brown. I have learned to skip the ones with some brown in them. I like the black sticks. Now, the one that came in the tin is the black with brown spots. My favorite size is the No. 6, or six inch cigar, and my friend Ford Steve (Now, GE Steve) likes this 7 inch big boy. I sure miss my cigar smoking buddy but, he is doing well in Atlanta now.

On to the smoke: The foot didn’t light the best but, that was due to the size and I didn’t get one spot. This created an airy flow on the first few puffs till the cigar was well lit. The No. 7 does not start off as spicy as the other smaller sizes. The cigar has a smorgasbord of earthy notes and a leathery texture on the start.

After the first inch or so, I start to notice a bit of fine grind black pepper on the tongue. There is a good touch of dark coffee bitterness. The earthy style has settled to a rich soil, portabella mushroom, and hardwood. The amount of smoke can be vast at times. I guess that should be expected from a cigar this big.

I am just past the halfway point and the cigar is just as smooth as can be. The rich earthy notes are so tasty. The hardwood notes seem to dominate at this point. There is still a fine grind black pepper that plays on the palate. The bitter bite seems to have faded and it is more of a dark roast coffee taste now.


The Wine
Catena Malbec 2008
13.9% abv
Bodega Catena Zapata Estate
Mendoza, Argentina
My Strength Rating: 8 on the first glass; second glass a 7.

This family has been growing grape vines since 1902.

This Malbec is a blend of ‘becs’ from four of the family’s vineyards. Maipu 20%, Lujande Cuyo 10%, Tupungato 40%, and San Carlos 30%.

First glass without decanting: My first sip is a luscious black fruit explosion and the blackberries seem to be leading the way. There seems to be a dark chocolate bite swirling around on the palate that has a slight creamy feel on the palate.

Between the blackberry bite and a high % dark chocolate bitter style the mouthfeel/texture sure is intense during this first glass.

This is no lightweight Malbec. This is heavyweight stuff. If you like mild-medium bodied Malbecs you better sit on the sidelines or this linebacker will knock you down.

The aftertaste starts with an alcohol warmth on the back of the palate and then I feel a jammy feel that coats the whole mouth.

The second glass is a little more relaxed once the wine had some time to breathe. There are more black fruits to choose from on the taste: Blackberry, black cherry, mulberry, and/or boysenberry. Take your pick on the berry profile but, it sure is tasty. The earthy notes are more noticeable. Earthy notes: mineral soil and tobacco. The mocha flavor is pleasing and there seems to an undertone of vanilla. The bitter dark chocolate and sharp blackberry bite is not as noticeable as it was on the first glass. The finish is smoother than the first glass.

I don’t know if I like the first glass or the second glass. I do know that I sure liked the intensity of the first glass.

Overall, this is one tasty Malbec. The complexity is there. The dark fruits are plentiful. The aftertaste is pleasing.

Must buy.

The Pairing
I planned this pairing for the full-bodied style that these two exhibit. I also really like both of these products so, I hope they get along.

This is one great pairing. The earthy notes mix well. The dark roast coffee profile of the cigar mingled with the berries and mocha notes of the wine. The palate never felt overwhelming during this pairing, which was a concern at first.

I think I’ll just sit back and enjoy the rest of this experience.

Recommendation: If you appreciate intensity in a wine then, open this bottle of Malbec and pour that first glass and just sit back and enjoy the ride.

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