Fast facts:
- 2022 Cuy Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina ($9.99 @Trader Joe’s, California)
I confess it was the packaging that first attracted me to this bottle at my local Trader Joe’s. For starters, its wax cap was a surprise at this price point. And the modern art on the label looks like the kind of thing you might frame and hang on your wall. The packaging alone did not compel me to give this wine a try. I am a sucker for Argentinian Malbec, after all. But it was also all the goodies on the back label: the producer refers to the wine as “natural” – but it’s so much more. It’s made with organic grapes. It has no added sulfites. And its’s vegan to boot.
But would we like it? After the first taste, the answer was an emphatic “Yes”!
Tasting Notes:
Pours an intense dark cherry color. Nose of juicy black fruit, black pepper and a hint of fresh mushrooms. Nice balance of brooding dark fruit, acidity and tannins. If there was any oak employed in the aging process, it was either neutral or overwhelmed by how big this wine is. It’s really pleasant glass of wine that dispels the dated stereotype of organic wines being funky, simple and best avoided. This wine would pair really well with roasted meats seasoned with oregano and rosemary, with ripe white cheese and – it must be said – cuy! At least if cuy tastes as promised.
ABV: 14.5%
Finally – what is Cuy?
If you find yourself exploring the streets of Peru, don’t be surprised to see small, whole animals roasting on spits and sold as a hearty snack or meal. It’s called cuy (prounounced kwee) and it’s a local dish that dates back to the 12th century, when the Incas ruled the Andes. Cuy is made with guinea pig. But in Peru, the guinea pigs are not kept as pets but rather raised and revered as meat for the dinner table, and have been for hundreds of years.
According to legend, the name “cuy” came to being because of the sound the animal makes, “kwee, kwee.” The guinea pig is native to the area, which is why the Inca peoples started raising them for food, creating small farms for breeding as livestock. Today cuy is still a popular food along the Andes, especially in Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and Ecuador.
Cuy is still kept as livestock today, similar to how it was when the Incas farmed them. Andean cuy look just like the guinea pigs found in the United States, but larger. Also called cavy or cobayo, cuy usually weigh around one pound, and the flavor is said to be a mix of chicken and rabbit with a bit of gaminess. We can neither confirm or deny these characterizations. Good luck finding Cuy at your local butcher or supermarket in the US.
Need More Wine Picks from Trader Joe’s – or Costco?
If your search for this wine lands you in Trader Joe’s, take along our handy Lucky 13 list of TJ’s wine here.
And if your wine shopping excursions land you in Costco, prepare by grazing our most recent reviews of Costco wines here in our Lucky 13 list.
Cheers!
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