Maybe we over did it. I don’t know, you’ll have to be the judge. We decided to find the best “pizza night” wine in the world. You know, you are not splurging on dinner and probably staying in by the hearth, as they say. So what wine are can you pair with that? You could grab a random Cab at the Grocery store but that’s not you. You think about things. You have discernment beyond your years or you would not be here. You want something a little better. That why we do what we do.
So, after years of research and endless self sacrifice we have tried every wine in the world, almost, so you don’t have to. Merlots, Cabs, Montepulciano, Tempranillo, Malbecs, Borolos, Malbecs, really pretty much everything that might work with pizza. The result of the search for the best pizza night wine is: [Argentinian drum-roll…] a Malbec.
If you go south in South America, down the spine of the High Andes, turn left at Valparaiso, cross the mountains and you’ll be in the Mendoza Region of Argentina. Mendoza’s high altitude wine regions produce the challenging environment wine grapes love. The Lujan de Cuyo and the Uco Valley regions are located in the foothills of the Andes mountains between 2,800 and 5,000 feet above the level of the Pacific, laying over the mountains to the West.
OTBX always has a Malbec on our By-the-Glass list. Over our six-year history as a wine and beer bar, we have featured many Malbec makers but historically lean towards Argentina. Skeleton has been a favorite for years because it’s a great example of the style, super drinkable with a low-tannic finish and, not least, it’s an unmatched value. Our prices vary a little depending on the time of year and how much of it we buy but it is always around $12-13. Plus, like that obnoxious guy on TV, that’s not all!
Skeleton comes in a Liter bottle, so instead of 0.750ml like essentially all wines, Skeleton is 0.250ml, or a third of a regular bottle, larger. For Twelve bucks! That’s crazy when you think about it. It makes me want to go to Argentina and take a look around. In the meantime, we will just enjoy this great Malbec with pizza, or with nothing at all, and not worry at all about the price.
Available By-the-Glass and in limited quantities at Old Town Beer Exchange. Come in and try a glass before you buy the bottle, that’s a no-lose proposition.