Terra Fossil Wines

Terra Fossil is an American wine company that primarily imports from Argentina, though they have recently added a Pinot Grigio from Italy. They've made a big social media push, using Facebook and Twitter and the other channels these crazy kids are into. There was even a national casting call to hire a spokesperson for a reality show.

The dinosaur theme with the slate of wines has to do with fossils that were found beneath one of the original vineyards used by the company. (Argentina is a great place for paleontology. Lots of unique finds have come out of Patagonia.) These wines seem tailor made for museum fundraisers: inexpensive, recognizable grapes, and a fun theme. Heck, the six year old inside of me was giddy at the dinosaur silhouettes and felt it was time to pull my wooden Stegosaurus model from the shelf. Yes, I may have made some roaring and growling sounds while nobody was looking. Dinosaurs are the coolest.

2008 Terra Fossil Cabernet Sauvignon
Mendoza, Argentina
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
$6, 13.7% abv.
Harsh initial presence with black cherry and black pepper and a strong tannic finish. This is fermented only in stainless steel, which is a little odd for a Cab Sav. I think the balance is off here, and perhaps a healthy dash of Merlot would smooth out the edges.

2008 Terra Fossil Malbec
Mendoza, Argentina
100% Malbec
$6, 13.7% abv.
Jammy with plum aromas, mellow tannins and a smooth, round mouthfeel. Definitely my favorite of the two, and it got better over the course of a few hours. Both wines were tasted alongside a few grilled sausages and asparagus, though I suppose I should have served something like turtle or alligator.

In addition to these two wines, Terra Fossil also produces a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, and Merlot.


Note: These wines were received as samples.