This week’s wine recommendations feature an entry into the low-alcohol movement from a leading organic producer in Argentina, a popular pinot grigio from mountain vineyards in northern Italy and a stunning riesling from Napa Valley.
Domaine Bousquet LOCA Malbec
Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina, $14
LOCA, the Spanish word for crazy, is a mash-up of Low Calorie and Low Alcohol, as this wine clocks in at a relatively modest 9.5 percent alcohol and 79 calories per five ounces, about two-thirds the usual amount. To be honest, when I want to reduce my calorie and alcohol intake, I just stretch a bottle over a few nights or skip wine altogether for a few days. That said, this wine and its sister chardonnay deliver what they promise — fresh, crisp, with a quality oenogeeks call “crunchy” — wines that taste like malbec and chardonnay, though a bit underripe. There’s apparently no wizardry to the wine: The grapes are simply harvested two months earlier than usual, when the flavors have developed but not the sugars that add body, depth and alcohol. The wines are not vintage-dated, but lot numbers starting with 23 suggest they come from that year’s harvest. Domaine Bousquet also checks all the progressive boxes: The wines are USDA Certified Organic (no added sulfites), EcoCert organic, Certified B Corporation, and certified vegan, gluten-free, and something else my eyes can’t make out. Ingredient and nutritional labeling are also included, as well as a QR code that will take you to the winery website so you don’t have to squint so much. Alcohol by volume: 9.5 percent. Bottle weight: 400 grams (Light).
