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Malbec has made quite a name for itself since it left southwest France and relocated to Argentina in the mid-19th century. While it is still grown in France, especially in Cahors, most of the best-known Malbecs are produced in Argentina. Argentina boasts the world’s highest collective vineyard altitude, with an average height of 2,700 feet. One of the primary benefits of increased altitude is greater fluctuations in day to night temperatures—sunlight increases sugar and other complex flavors during the ripening process, while night-time cold preserves the grapes’ natural acidity.
Most of Argentina’s Malbec is grown in Mendoza with vineyards ranging from 1,500 feet to 5,500 feet in altitude, with grown at even higher levels in Salta. Because of the extreme altitudes Malbec grown in Argentina has a thicker skin which leads to intense color and stronger tannins than Malbecs made in other parts of the world. When drinking one of these seven wines you can expect dark fruit flavors of black cherry, blackberry and plum along with notes of ground pepper, dark chocolate, espresso bean, leather and pipe tobacco. This bold flavor profile alongside medium to heavy tannins makes Malbec the perfect pour when you fire up the barbecue and grill well-marbled cuts of meat. Here are seven fantastic Malbecs we’re drinking right now.
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Zuccardi 2019 Finca Piedra Infinita Gravascal Mendoza Argentina
Italian immigrant Alberto Zuccardi planted vines in Maipu and began what would become a family legacy. His son Jose Alberto took over the company in 1990 and brought in third generation Sebastian Zuccardi to oversee construction of the family’s new winery in the Uco Valley. Today, the winery and the Zuccardi family focus on sustainability and make wines in varying price points. Their 2019 Finca Piedra Infinita Gravascal represents the top of their line and has aromas of olive paste, blackberry, and black plum with bright acidity, silky tannins, and flavors of slate, wet river rock, black cherry, and pomegranate.
Buy Now: $290
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Bodega Catena Zapata 2021 Argentino Vineyard Malbec Mendoza Argentina
Bodega Catena Zapata was founded in 1902 and is well known for its high-quality Malbec wines made both from valley floor and high-altitude vineyards. Laura Catena is the daughter of Nicolas Catena Zapata and is the untiring ambassador for the brand—there’s not a wine event we attend in the world where we don’t see her. She and her father have fostered a collaboration with the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo and University of California at Davis for research and development programs between the countries. This stunning Malbec from the Argentino Vineyard is inky purple with aromas of crushed violet petals, wet river rocks, and cassis. Tight, somewhat grippy tannins offer excellent structure for flavors of black raspberry, freshly ground pepper, red plum, espresso bean, and dark chocolate.
Buy Now: $120
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Rutini 2017 Apartado Gran Malbec Mendoza Argentina
Felipe Rutini began planting vines in the Uco Valley in 1925, and today his legacy survives him with more than 1,285 acres planted to vines. His original winery was called Bodega La Rural and it was modernized to meet increased production needs in the 1990s and was then expanded again in the early part of this century. The Apartado Gran Malbec, one of Rutini’s iconic wines, offers aromas of cigar box, dark chocolate, red plum, pipe tobacco, and red raspberry. At seven years old it still has a firm tannic backbone supporting flavors of black berry, cassis, and roasted hazelnuts.
Buy Now: $100
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Kaiken 2020 Mai Malbec Mendoza Argentina
Kaiken was founded by Chile-based Aurelio Montes in 2002 with the idea of making great Argentine wines utilizing the joint expertise of Chilean and Argentinian winemakers. The word “Mai” means “first” in the local dialect of the Pehuenche people and is used to represent the estates iconic wine. Fruit for this delightful wine is sourced from 100-year-old vines in Vistalba, Mendoza. It is ruby garnet in color with aromas of black plum, leather, red cherry, and cigar box. Balanced acidity and silky tannins pave the way for flavors of cherry vanilla, cassis, and red raspberry.
Buy Now: $95
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Vina Cobos 2019 Marchiori Estate Malbec Mendoza Argentina
New York raised winemaker Paul Hobbs visited Argentina in 1988 and shortly thereafter began his South American winemaking career. He is well known as one of the first Americans to make quality Malbec in Argentina and continues to do so to this day. His Marchiori Estate Malbec has deep aromas of black raspberry, plum, pencil lead, mocha, and a whiff of dried Mediterranean herbs. Powerful and bold on the palate, it has flavors of ripe dark fruits wrapped in a suede-like tannic sheath.
Buy Now: $110
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Doña Paula 2014 Alluvia Parcel Malbec Mendoza Argentina
Established in 1997, Doña Paula proudly makes wines with grapes grown in its own vineyards; sites include San Carlos, El Cepillo, Cordón del Plata, Gualtallary, Ugarteche, and Luján de Cuyo, which are some of the best in the country. Fruit used to make this excellent wine were grown in the Alluvia vineyard in Gualtallary. It is inky purple in color with aromas of blueberry, black raspberry, pencil lead, and black plum with firm tannins and flavors of freshly ground black pepper, red plum, cherry, and blueberry pie.
Buy Now: $100
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Achaval Ferrer 2016 Finca Mirador Malbec Mendoza Argentina
Grapes for this fantastic wine are grown in the Mirador vineyard, which was planted in 1921 and sits at an altitude of 2,300 feet. Many of the vines in this centenary vineyard have extremely long roots that can reach deep stratified layers of minerals and nutrients imparting minerality and freshness to the wines. The 2016 Finca Mirador is drinking beautifully at eight years and has aromas of slate, red plum, and black raspberry with flavors of cassis, black pepper, tobacco leaf, and black plum all wrapped in chalky tannins.
Buy Now: $130
