NOT YOUR USUAL SUSPECTS

A group blog featuring an international array of killer mystery, suspense, and romantic suspense writers. With premises and story lines different from your run-of-the-mill whodunits, we tend to write outside the box. We blog several times a week on all topics relating to romantic suspense and mystery, our writing, and our readers. We welcome all comments and often have guest bloggers. All our authors can be contacted separately, too, using their own social media links.

We find our genre delightfully, dangerously, and deliciously exciting - join us here, if you do too!

NOTE: the blog is currently dormant but please enjoy the posts we're keeping online.


Julie Moffet . Cathy Perkins . Jean Harrington . Daryl Anderson . Nico Rosso . Maureen A Miller . Sandy Parks . Lisa Q Mathews . Sharon Calvin . Lynne Connolly . Janis Patterson . Vanessa Keir . Tonya Kappes . Julie Rowe . Joni M Fisher . Leslie Langtry

Monday, June 13, 2016

Malbec Mayhem

My latest story, novella MALBEC MAYHEM, releases tomorrow!

Restaurant owner and chef Alex Montoya grows Malbec grapes on land he co-owns with a less-than-trustworthy business partner. His new girlfriend, Sofia Pincelli, needs those grapes to show her father she has what it takes to make award-winning wine—and save the reputation and finances of the Pincelli winery. When the Malbec grapes go missing…there’s mayhem.

A few people have asked me about Malbec wine since the varietal isn’t as well known as reds such as cabernet, merlot or pinot noire. Malbec originated in southwest France and served mainly as a blending grape to enhance other red wines’ flavor. (It’s one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine.) Susceptible to weather and insects, it was nearly wiped out in Europe when frost and root rot killed most of the vines. Fortunately for us, the grapes found a new home in Argentina. Most of the Malbec on the market today still originates there.

Recently, vintners in Washington state have planted the grapes and found it thrives in eastern Washington’s higher elevations and dry climate. These vineyards have the hot days and cool nights necessary for the grapes to produce more acidity. That acidity creates great tasting and long lasting vintages.

A crowd-pleaser—easy to drink, with a ton of juicy fruit flavors—Malbec is becoming one of the most popular red wines on the American market. Some people love to call Malbec a working man’s Merlot, as the wine has many of the same characteristics that make Merlot easy to drink, with an added spice and acidity that makes it seem less polished.

I loved this line I found on a wine buying website: “Malbec is the guy who rides the Harley to Merlot’s guy that drives the Vespa.”

Have you tried Malbec? What’s your favorite red wine?



                           ~ Malbec Mayhem ~

Successful restaurateur Alex Montoya’s charmed life has hit a snag. His trusted business partner turned out to be not exactly trustworthy, and Alex could be facing jail time over some of his partner’s shady financial deals. As if that weren’t bad enough, creditors are calling in loans he didn’t know he had and he’s desperate to prove his innocence before all his businesses are repossessed.

After a career-building stint in Napa Valley, Sofia Pincelli has returned home to eastern Washington to take over the family’s winery. Running the family business, however, means dealing with her ailing father’s continued micro-management—and his disapproval of Alex. Her father’s condemnation of Alex’s rumored involvement in his business partner’s schemes runs so deep, it threatens Alex and Sofia’s blossoming romance…along with the Pincelli family’s signature red wine. Sofia needs Alex’s crop of Malbec grapes to show her father she has what it takes to make award-winning wine—and save the reputation and finances of the Pincelli winery.

When the Malbec grapes go missing, Alex and Sofia must join forces to find the fruit before it spoils—or risk destroying both of their businesses and their hearts.


9 comments:

jean harrington said...

Cathy, congratulations on your release. That's always an exciting day! Sorry I can't comment on my favorite red--I'm a white wine girl--but the history of Malbec is intriguing nonetheless.

CathyP said...

So many of my friends are "white wine gals" @jean. I love a crisp white in the summer but give me a red any day :)

Alyssa Maxwell said...

Congratulatons on your release! It sounds like a fun read. I love Malbec. I discovered it a couple of years ago through a friend and it's been my favorite ever since. I love red wine anyway, but I find Malbec to be smooth and rich, and a tiny bit dryer than Merlot without being too dry.

Daryl Anderson said...

Congratulations on your release--it sounds like a lot of fun. I love read wine, especially bold red wines such as Malbec and Tempranillo!
Your fascinating blog made me thirsty!

Anne Marie Becker said...

Oh, I love red wines (and now I want a glass! LOL). I seem to remember trying a Malbec years ago, and enjoying it. I really enjoy pinot noir, when I have a choice of reds.

Congratulations on the new release. I love stories set around wineries. :)

Livia Quinn said...

Interesting, Cathy. I love Cabernet Sauvignon but since I can't get a decent one here, I usually go for Merlot. Congratulations on your new release!!

CathyP said...

@Alyssa - I find it "bolder" than a Merlot as well but really drinkable. I'm happy to see more from WA state (although the Argentina ones are easier to find outside the PacNW)

@Darly - raising a virtual glass ;)

CathyP said...

@Anne Marie - Thanks! With all the wineries around here, it was inevitable that one would end up in a story :)

@Livia - Finding wines locally can be a challenge. I'm so spoiled with the access we have here in WA.

Sandy Parks said...

Learned something new as I'd never heard of Malbec (r at least don't remember-lol). Will have to try sometime. Fun blog.

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