Losing my mind is my single greatest fear, so you'd think I wouldn't like "Black Swan." It's actually one of my favorite movies. I try to not think about what that says about my mind.
A Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina, like Zuccardi's Concreto.
The Movie
"Black Swan" (2010) is a psychological thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky, starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. The film tells the story of Nina Sayers (Portman), a highly talented and dedicated ballerina who strives for perfection in her craft. When Nina is cast as the lead in Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" ballet, she must embody both the innocent White Swan and the sensual, dark Black Swan. As she becomes increasingly obsessed with perfecting her performance and faces competition from the more uninhibited Lily (Kunis), Nina's psychological state deteriorates, and the line between reality and hallucination starts to blur. The film explores themes of obsession and perfectionism, identity.
Portman's performance earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress, and "Black Swan" received critical acclaim for its intense, visceral portrayal of the world of professional ballet and the psychological turmoil experienced by its protagonist.
The Wine
The Zuccardi Malbec Concreto is a unique and distinctive red wine produced by the renowned Zuccardi winery in Argentina's Uco Valley, a premier winegrowing region in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. This particular Malbec stands out due to its innovative winemaking approach, with fermentation and aging taking place in concrete vats, hence the name "Concreto."
On the nose, the wine offers an aromatic complexity of ripe blackberries, blueberries, and plums, underpinned by notes of violet, graphite, and wet stone, revealing the wine's strong mineral backbone.
On the palate, the wine's dark fruit flavors are complemented by its pronounced minerality and earthy undertones, creating a harmonious balance between fruit and terroir. The absence of oak aging allows the wine to express its purest form, leading to a long, lingering finish that showcases the unique character of the Uco Valley.
Why They Pair Well
Thanks to its no-wood fermentation process, Concreto is deeply rooted in its terroir and "Black Swan" is a raw, no-holds-barred depiction of ballet. With its moderate tannins and medium acidity, the wine strives for chemical balance the same way Nina attempts to. The wine succeeds, Nina doesn't.
By Eddie Beeby
What wine would you pair with "Black Swan?"
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