The Wine: Zolo Malbec Reserve 2006 (about $16 Cdn, $14 US)
The Cheese: Majorero goat’s milk cheese from Canary Islands

OK, I admit, there’s nothing holiday-related about this wine and cheese combination – it’s just good. The Zolo Malbec Reserve 2006 (about $16 Cdn, $14 US) has flavors of smoke, vanilla and oak. Black currant and dark chocolate and coffee beans lead to a very long, silky finish. You can almost breathe fire after drinking this wine, but it’s a well-balanced flame. A beautiful expression of the robust Malbec from Argentina.

Quaffability Rating: 90 (my third 90 in a row – what’s going on here?)

The Majorero goat’s milk cheese from Spanish island of Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands is firm, but a but will crumble upon demand. It has a nutty aroma and rich but acidic flavor. This one from Alex Farm Products in Toronto came with a paprika coating that gave it an extra zing to match the concentrated Malbec wine. The light colored and textured cheese looked like it would be crushed by such a big wine, but it’s not the case. The Zolo and Majorero match up just fine. In fact, I could drink and eat both all night.

Next week, a holiday wine-buying guide.