As we discussed this quarter’s selections, this wine was definitely qualified based on its quality and value but we worried that there may have been a touch too many Malbecs in the last few years. We like to keep things very varied. But if that is where our palates lead us, we countered…and there’s something so right about a Malbec at this time of year—some of them literally taste of spiced sugar plums. But when we made the connection that one of the previous Malbec selections was made in Argentina by Paul Hobbs (Felino, Sept. 2022) and that this wine is co-authored in the ancestral home of Malbec, Cahors (kaw-OR), by Paul Hobbs and Bertrand Gabriel Vigouroux, scion of one of the best Cahors producers, we decided that the opportunity to compare similarly priced Malbecs from its two most famous terroirs made by an expert of the grape was not to be missed. Established in 2011, Crocus is a reference to the Crocus Sativus flower that produces saffron, a crop that has been grown in the region for hundreds of years. Maybe it's the power of suggestion, and there are other types of spice that predominate on the nose, like cardamom and coriander, but there is a little touch of saffron on the finish and that spice is a differentiator between the two terroirs. Before that finish, however, there are flavors of blackberries, bing cherries and red plums that are even a little candied, which are all reminiscent of the Argentine version, but the fresh flowers, touch of seared meat and more athletic tannins are all additional distinguishers of Cahors. With all the built in spice, no oak-derived spice is needed, so the wine is aged in stainless steel. Intensely spiced meat or stew would make a perfect companion to this wine.