What was in your glass during the Polar Vortex? My first thought when the temperatures plummeted was for a bold, rich red wine from a hot, arid wine region that I had visited. I knew the flavors would delight my palate, and the memories of time spent in a warmer part of the world would give me something to focus on while I shivered and shoveled snow.

I love the wines of Argentina for their simple complexity and affordable price. I also LOVED the week I spent in the Mendoza region several years ago. It's one of the most beautiful places in the world. The landscape is diverse with wild tangles of trees and plants scattered across wide open spaces that are punctuated by mountains. Malbec thrives in Argentina. It's that bold rich black fruit forward wine grape that originated in France and was transported to Argentina by travelers centuries ago.

Finca La Linda makes several styles including an Old Vine Malbec. It offers an inviting herbal nose, with rustic black fruit and spice on the palate. Talk about a toe warmer! I savored my sample then shared the bottle with two of my favorite Warfleigh Winos who happily reported the bottle was "good to the last drop". Malbec tastes great with Indian fare, burgers, ribs and yes, negative wind chills. I'm hoping Punxatawny Phil's prediction means I'll be enjoying another bottle with friends soon, but this time sitting in sunshine on my deck and not snow in my driveway.