2012 Château Nozières Ambroise de l’Her Cahors Malbec is another great wine value found at our local Costco. As with other Costco wines I’ve reviewed previously, don’t let the $15 price (depending on which Costco you shop) fool you. This is a wonderful, full-bodied red from the region of France known for producing the country’s finest Malbec.

Ambroise de l’Her is produced from vines older than 30 years planted in clay limestone. The wine is fermented in vats for 3 weeks before maturation in oak for 12 to 14 months. Concentrated tannins are softened by the oak and the final blend is 90% Malbec with 10% Merlot. It drinks a bit young at present and could cellar until 2017 to reach its potential. In 2015, Wine Enthusiast rated this vintage 91 points.

Château Nozières is a small, family-owned winery located in the Cahors appellation in southwest France. Vineyard land was purchased in 1955 and the Maradenne family began producing wine there in the 1970’s. Today, the family’s third generation (led by the founder’s grandson Olivier Guitard) produces primarily Malbec (also known as Côt or Auxerrois) on 123.5 terraced acres in Vire-sur-Lot (see French wine growing regions map).