Pircas Negras Malbec and bison chili and dogs

Pircas Negras Malbec.


What would Jesus drink? 

Hey, I grew up loving the gospel stories as much as anyone, and I distinctly remember the one where rich men were cited as having as much chance of getting into heaven as a camel through the eye of a needle. And no, I don’t think he was speaking in euphenisms (the “eye” was not a city gate a dude can drive his money laden truck through). 

Then there is that wedding in Cana, where wine suddenly reappeared to make the party a success. No, you beer and saké lovers, the vino the gospel writers wrote about did not refer to the fermented fruit of grains. There is plenty of archeological evidence that folks along the Mediterranean cultivated grapes and drank the resulting wines a good 8,000 years (if not longer) before Jesus; and so it was definitely wine wine (the same as what we drink today) they were talking about. 

But if you take these stories to heart, you almost have to draw the logical conclusion: Jesus thought wine should be plentiful, probably very good (would Jesus turn water into bad wine?), and definitely available for the enjoyment of the common (i.e. moolah pressed) man. 

Would Jesus drink organic? I wouldn’t go so far, but I have to say that if anything fits the criteria of being democratically priced yet good enough to make any party swing, it might be something like the 2008 Pircas Negras Malbec, imported from Argentina. Even if it is organically grown (Accredited Argencert SRL and compliant with USDA’s National Organic Program) and qualifies as vegan. Why? Because it is totally smooth and delicious (drinkability: check) and almost stupidly well priced (at about $10, affordability: check). 

As Argentine Malbecs go, the Pircas Negras has a typically big nose, bursting at the seams with ripe, brambly, raspberry/blackberry fruitiness; the feel is snappy and medium in weight (not light, not heavy), driving the luscious fruit qualities towards a lip smacking finish like a camel through… well, you get the picture. 


What would I eat with a smooth but sturdy Malbec like the Pircas Negras? This is a good Monday night wine for a Monday night meal: a saddle scented, cumin laced ground bison chili with Hebrew National dogs on buns, topped with cheddar, sides of chips and maybe this roasted red pepper dip, which brings out plum-and-nutty notes of a Malbec. Whatever you do, think K.I.S.S., because some things in life just go without saying.

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