Argentinian Wine

Argentina does Malbec better than anyone on a mass scale, much of it due to the plentiful vineyards planted at altitude in the foothills of the Andes Mountains where sunshine enhances ripening and cool night temperatures elongate the ripening season to accentuate much needed acidity in this grape. These factors combine to provide growing conditions that are unmatched anywhere else in the world that Malbec is planted on a large scale. Wines like this one are testament to the dense fruit character, spicy notes and complexity of good Malbec, often at a relatively modest price.

We love this wine and it also carries organic certification, another thing the dry climate in Argentina allows for with relative ease, but that's another story. 

If you love big reds, try this one out for size. 

Pure, mineral and powerful, with concentrated flavors of red plum and dried raspberry, loaded with powerful savoury notes. Sandalwood accents linger on the finish, showing gentle tannins.

Its structure is airy and open. Barda was made to be consumed while still fresh and young.

Belasco de Baquedano is a leading winery located in the Mendoza region of Argentina. The winery is lucky enough to have very old vines of original Malbec vines first planted in 1910 - these old vines are the secret to Belasco De Baquedano's success. The old vines consistently produce wines that are full-bodied, juicy and complex with layers of flavour development.

Here we find Torrentes, Argentina's flagship white grape, made in  a juicy fruit forward style.

White Stones Chardonnay comes from a select 27 rows within Block 1 of the Adrianna Vineyard. The name refers to the ground beneath the vines which is covered with gravelly oval white stones.

The Adrianna vineyard is located at an elevation of almost 5,000 feet in the Gualtallary sub-district of the Tupungato region. The rocky soil prevents deep root growth and allows for ideal drainage conditions. These are very poor soils where the vines are constantly in conditions of stress. The cool nights allow for very slow ripening, optimal acid retention and low yields.

White Stones Chardonnay comes from a select 27 rows within Block 1 of the Adrianna Vineyard. The name refers to the ground beneath the vines which is covered with gravelly oval white stones.

The Adrianna vineyard is located at an elevation of almost 5,000 feet in the Gualtallary sub-district of the Tupungato region. The rocky soil prevents deep root growth and allows for ideal drainage conditions. These are very poor soils where the vines are constantly in conditions of stress. The cool nights allow for very slow ripening, optimal acid retention and low yields.

Argentina?s signature grape, Malbec, was introduced to the country?s biggest wine region, Mendoza, by Frenchman Michel Pouget in the mid 1850s, but it has since been discovered that not all Malbec vines brought into the country were exactly the same. And the family that has done more to advance the understanding, high quality expression and understanding of Argentinian Malbec is the Catena family, whose Zapata Malbec is one of our favourite wines in store; big, bold and full bodied but with elegance to burn, thanks to its silkiness. 

The Catena family has arguably done more for the quality and reputation of both Malbec and the Argentinian wine industry than any other company, advancing the understanding of growing grapes at altitude, high up in the foothills of the Andes where hot days, high sunshine hours and cool nights ripen the grapes and retain elegance.

Located in the far southerly growing region of Altamira en La Consulta, the Nicasia vineyard is the only planting of the special Catena Selection of Malbec cuttings in this traditional area for Malbec. La Consulta was Nicol?s Catena?s father Domingo?s prefered Malbec location.

10% whole cluster and 90% whole berry fruit is hand-loaded into 225-500 liter new French oak barrels for a 100% barrel fermentation for a period of 17 days, allowing seamless oak integration. The fermentation temperature is kept low, extracting intense aromas, and the cap management is done by hand to ensure soft, gentle flavors and tannin extraction. Wild yeasts. Alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in barrel leaves considerable lees and sediment. The wine is aged in French oak barrels for 24 months, followed by 24 months of aging in bottle before release.

Nicasia Vineyard: 3,593 ft (1,095 m). Altamira in La Consulta District, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina. Very shallow loamy topsoil with surface gravel and gravelly (large stones) dry river bed subsoil - optimal drainage. Malbec. Plant selection: Catena Cuttings malbec selection.

?This is really complex and exotic with dark fruit, flowers and asphalt undertones. Full-bodied, soft and silky with a long and flavorful finish. A soft and sexy red. Drink now, but will improve with age.? 

96 /100

James Suckling 

The Payada is a competitive composing and singing of verses native to Argentina, usually accompanied by guitar. The performer is called a Payador and in performances two or more payadores will compete to produce the most eloquent verse, each answering questions posed by the other, often insulting. 

El Payador is a contemporary and fruit driven Argentinian Malbec created in partnership with third generation Mendoza wine-maker Jorge Daniel Falasco. The wine is sourced from a single high altitude vineyard at over twelve hundred metres above sea level and primarily matured in season French oak.

Dark, dry and full bodied Argentinian Malbec made from a blend of grapes from two great Malbec vineyard areas, Agrelo and Lulunta. This accessibly priced, drink-me-now red has no oak maturation, which accentuates the bold fruity flavours of this wine. 

Agrelo is situated 35 km south of Mendoza city and considered to be a great area for intensely flavoured Malbec grapes. Lulunta is another well regarded sub region of Mendoza area.

Wow we don't see a lot of Semillon from Argentina but it is actually one of Argentina's oldest planted varieties. This rare barrel-fermented expression is harvested from 80 year-old vines and has fresh, clean citrus aromas with a hint of oak. Flavours of citrus, tropical fruit, coconut and caramel follow through on the palate

Mendel Winery embodies the union of Roberto de la Mota - one of Argentina?s most respected and experienced winemakers - with an established Argentine family. Together they are dedicated to producing wines of unquestionable superior quality expressing the quality and character of their very old Malbec vineyards in Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.

Parker's Wine Advocate, Luis Guttierrez (2017 vintage)

"The approachable, creamy and expressive 2017 Lunta Malbec has notes of ripe berries and a touch of beeswax, pollen and honey that I find in many Mediterranean wines. This comes from the classical zone of Mendoza, and in 2017, the grapes achieved good ripeness; it's juicy and with a soft palate. Some 60% of the volume matured in barrique because the year delivered wines with more structure and winemaker Roberto de la Mota thought it needed a little bit more of ?levage. A textbook example of a classical Malbec from Mendoza. 85,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2019."

Vinous, Stephen Tanzer (2017 vintage)

"Bright ruby-red. Somewhat inky scents and flavors of black and red fruits and licorice pastille, lifted by herbs. Slightly bound-up but there's excellent dark fruit intensity here, not to mention good density and a fine-grained texture for the price. Roberta de la Mota makes this wine from very old vines (roughly 90 years) in riverbed alluvial soils at the base of the Lunlunta foothills behind his winery in Mayor Drummond."

Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot were blended together to make this top red blend which comes from Argentina's Mendel winery and is made from ungrafted vines planted in 1928 in Lujan de Cuyo in the west of Mendoza. Dark velvety ripe fruit flavours envelope concentrated black plum flavours, spicy aromas and notes of vanilla and toast in a complex full bodied wine which drinks superbly now and can age for up to a decade, and then some. 

A great gift for a special friend or in your own wine cellar.

South America is known for many things, including dark and spicy Argentinian Malbecs, such as this one by winemaker Ernesto Catena. He is the man responsible for this tasty  Malbec from Mendoza; the heart of the country's wine industry and a region equally renowned for its spectacular beauty at the foot of the Andes Mountains.

The fruit for this succulent Malbec is 50% from the Uco Valley, with a majority of calcareous soils and 50% from Luj?n de Cuyo with loam clay soils. The vineyards are located between 950 and 1.400 metres above sea level. In our vineyards, we do not use any herbicide or systemic product, managing it in an agro-ecological way.

The wine is vinified with 20% whole clusters grapes, and the rest is destemmed. Fermentation is in small concrete vats with indigenous yeasts and at temperatures between 24? and 26?C. Maturation continues in small concrete vats until next harvest.

This is a succulent juicy expression of Malbec (as it should be) with red fruits combining with floral aromas and black pepper. Ripe tannins lead to a soft and opulent finish.

Just when we’re thinking how great modern Chardonnay is, along it comes in a surprisingly complex, surprisingly dry blend with Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris. And it comes from one of the chilliest places in the world of wine today, Patagonia in South America.

Flavours of tropical fruit, citrus and Turkish Delight all combine in this funky fleshy, full bodied white which was aged in French oak foudres and concrete vats for nearly 20 months.

This wine is dry with 2.18 grams per litre of residual sugar. 

Bodega Otronia is situated in the heart of Patagonia at parallel 45 south, the last frontier for winemaking and grape growing. High winds, a cold and dry climate all make organic wine production relatively smooth sailing here.