It was one of those one thing lead leads to another type of nights. On Wendesday night I snuck into and out of Pendleton quietly. I was on a secret mission, which if I told you about Id have to kill you. So, nuf said. Alright.

But, while I was in town I did a little snooping on store shelves. For the most part I didnt see anything out of order. Same old Franzia boxes lined some shelves, and Columbia Crest and other products looked well stocked and polished for the upcoming extravaganza next weekend. However, in a few places I did see some new wines out there.

One of the things that really caught my attention was that my premonitions about certain wines are coming true. We are starting to see many more bottles of Temperanillo, Rioja, Malbec, and even some great local wines on the shelves.

What impressed me most of all was that I saw a multiple case display of Maryhill Winemakers Red in Safeway. Wow! I was shocked that they would support one of our locals so well. It is a great wine, with a huge following. Im happy that they are allowing more local vintners into these chain stores.

As I perused the shelves I did see several new wines. Some of these vintages Ive never had myself, so I decided I should buy a few and take them home to test and report back to you.

Ive forcasted many times that Malbec is one of the fastest growing wines in America. It is rich, dark, and fantastic, with a nice essence of earthiness. Im constantly intrigued by the single varietal wines and blends using Malbec grapes. Im sure that this is a trend that will far surpass Syrah in a few years.

Two new Malbecs that I found on grocery shelves were a 2009 Norton and a 2010 Belgrando from the Mendoza region of Argentina. I picked them up, along with a package of dry salami and some Rollos candy. Nothing like some healthy food for the road.

Both wines were in the ten dollar range. The Norton came in at eight dollars, and the Belgrando was just under eleven.

Bodega Norton was founded in 1895 along the Mendoza River Valley. The climate is characterized by really hot days, and really cool nights. Grapes in the Mendoza region mature slowly because of this, and produce really rich wines.

The Norton poured into the glass with a nice purple-red color. It has a nice nose of dark berries and minerality. The richness of flavors are somewhat overcome by the heat from alcohol, although it is a good wine for the price.

As I mentioned, the Bodega Belgrando also comes from Argentina. It attracted me right off the bat with a drawing of a pretty lady squeezing grapes on the label. The label also gives the wine a nickname of The Headsnapper.

This wine also has rich scents of berries and earth, mixed with a herbaceous quality. It pours into the glass with the same rich, dark colors, but offers a much more flavorful event for the mouth. The richness of the juice comes out, followed by a nice finish.

Enjoy!

Rich Breshears, the East Oregonians wine columnist, is a commercial photographer and marketing consultant for the wine industry in Oregon and Washington. He lives with his family in Kennewick, Wash. You can reach him by e-mail at photos999@charter.net