Argentinian Wines

Structure and purity of blackberries, ripe currants and concentrated ripe fruit all intermingle in this beautiful Argentinian red wine. Full bodied and intense with the balance of fresh acidity and ripeness all add up to a great red wine with presence. Drink now or keep for another 9 to 10 years. This wine will last the distance. 

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.

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.

100% Malbec from vines that are over 100 years old.  6 months in oak barrels.

This blend boasts an elegant aromas and flavors of plums, cherry, and violet flowers. It is ripe with strawberries and dark fruit. This full-bodied red finishes with well integrated tannins and moderate oak.

This blend can pair with a handful of dishes but a few we highly recommend trying are: baked ham with a honey, Dijon and thyme glaze or an old fashioned meat loaf.

Who said you can't make great reds in cool climates? Not us, especially after trying this full bodied, marvellously mellow Merlot from Patagonia, which was made using wild yeast fermentation followed by ageing in un-toasted French oak founders for 20 months, which accentuates the ripe plum and dark fruit flavours, the fleshly texture and beautifully structured, firm grainy tannins. 

This wine is made with grapes grown on a high density planted vineyard of one hectare Patagonia.

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.

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.

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 

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. 

A superb high quality Malbec with depth and savoury notes held in an approachable style of spicy red which has 'drink-me-now' written all over every succulent sip. This special wine is made from 85 year old vines grown on their original roots in Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.

What the critics say

91/100 Vinous, Joaquín Hidalgo

"A Malbec from old vines in Mayor Drummond, Luján de Cuyo, that spent 12 months aging in one-third new and two-thirds used oak. Bright purple in the glass. The nose features candied plum and jam and hints of pepper and allspice, as well as tomato preserve, vanilla and herbs. Concentrated, substantial and well-balanced,enhanced by the active tannins, which also deepen the profile. Well made in a ripe style." Drink 2020 - 2028

93/100 Wine Enthusiast, Michael Schackner (2017 vintage)

"Great midtier value is found in this full-force Malbec from a powerful vintage. A blueberry pie aroma is ripe to the max, alongside a whiff of graphite. The fully extracted palate bursts with cassis and berry flavors, while the more this breathes, the less heavy it seems." Drink 2019 - 2028

Terrazes Malbec is one of our favourite Argentinian reds and is made from grapes grown at over 1000 metres above sea level. The vineyard was planted by Moet & Chandon in the 1950s and was the champagne giant's first winemaking venture outside France. 

It is a spicy, dry, full bodied red that ages superbly for at least a decade and drinks well young with its dark fruity flavours, great structure and long finish. A keeper and one to enjoy right now.

100% Malbec grown on shallow, alluvial, loam and clay-loam soils on sites that are over a 1000 metres above sea level in Lujan de Cuyo in Mendoza, Argentina. 

This is all about juicy Argentine Malbec fruit that we all love so much and seems a given from this part of the world. Handpicked grapes are macerated for 10-15 days and then fermented cool prior to ageing in stainless steel and 15% French oak barriques for eight months.

Trapiche is one of Argentina's best known wineries and based in the country's wine HQ, Mendoza, where it owns over 1,000 hectares of vineyards, devoted mostly to Malbec - the great red of this part of South America.

Trapiche's Oak Cask Malbec sees a minimal amount of oak, which adds a touch of spice and complexity to this otherwise fruity, dry, medium bodied red. Great value for money and lively drinking year round.

Full bodied, dark and rich in flavour, this deep red wine is made from the robust Tannat grape - which is extremely comfortably at home in Argentina's warm dry climate, as this wine shows. 

For a great value red, it's hard to find a wine this rewarding. It drinks beautifully now and will make a great match with meaty, earthy flavours. This wine can also age for three to four years and improve over that time, evolving into a more complex red.

This outstanding Malbec is made from grapes grown high altitude vineyards in Mendoza, which were fermented with wild yeasts for 12 days with post ferment maceration for 19-22 days followed by 12 months aging in barrel, including first, second and third use barrels. It tastes smooth, dark, full bodied, fleshy, succulent and complex? An incredible red wine.

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.

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.