History

Malbec arrived in Mendoza in 1853 from Cahors, France, via French agronomist Michel Aime Pouget at the request of governor Sarmiento. The grape thrived at 1,000-1,500 m altitude where it failed in France. Catena Zapata's Nicolas Catena Zapata in the 1980s pushed the high-altitude vineyards (Adrianna, Gualtallary) that made Argentine Malbec world-famous.

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Common allergens: Sulfites

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 10 minTotal 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle entry-level Mendoza Malbec (Lujan de Cuyo)
  • 1 bottle Uco Valley Malbec (mid-range)
  • 1 bottle high-altitude Malbec from Gualtallary or Salta Calchaqui
  • 1 bottle aged Reserva or Gran Reserva Malbec
  • 4 ISO tasting glasses per drinker, or rotate one set
  • 100g hard Argentine cheese (sardo or reggianito), cubed
  • Crackers or grissini

Method

  1. Chill the bottles to cellar temperature (16-18C). Too warm and the alcohol dominates.
  2. Open all four 30 minutes before serving. Decant the aged Reserva.
  3. Pour 40ml of each wine into four glasses per drinker, in order: entry-level, Uco, high-altitude, Reserva.
  4. Taste each blind first (sight, swirl, smell, sip). Compare colour depth, fruit profile and tannin grip.
  5. Note tasting impressions: entry-level Lujan is plummy and rounded; Uco brings florals; Salta and Gualtallary are linear and high-acid; the Reserva shows leather and tobacco.
  6. Pair with cubes of sardo cheese between wines to reset the palate.

Tip from the editors. Argentina makes great Malbec at every price level. Spend 30 USD on four bottles, not 100 USD on one.

Where to eat malbec wine flight

Malbec Wine Flight in Buenos Aires

Aldo's Vinoteca ★ 4.6

$$$ Wine barMicrocentro

Aldo Graziani's wine-led restaurant in Monserrat: 600-plus labels selected via blind tasting; bottles at retail plus modest corkage. Deep by-the-glass list.

PourCabernet Franc from Lujan de Cuyo

WineArgentine focus, 600-plus labels, Malbec and Cabernet Franc

FoodArgentine bistro with parrilla

Directions

Lo de Joaquin Alberdi ★ 4.5

$$$ Wine barPalermo Soho

Palermo Soho wine shop-bar focused on small-batch Argentine bottles. Knowledgeable team, daily by-the-glass list and Friday tastings; a discovery counter.

PourSingle-vineyard Malbec by the glass

WineArgentine boutique producers, small-batch Malbec

FoodPicada plates

Directions

Vico Wine Bar ★ 4.3

$$$ Wine barVilla Crespo

Self-pour Villa Crespo wine bar with 100-plus Argentine labels on Enomatic machines; prepaid card, pour your own half or full glass, tapas to share.

PourSelf-pour Malbec flight

WineSelf-pour: 100+ labels by the glass

FoodTapas and Argentine charcuterie

Directions

Pain et Vin ★ 4.4

$$$ Wine barPalermo Soho

Half bakery, half wine bar in Palermo Soho. Naturally fermented bread, country charcuterie, small-producer wines from Patagonia and the Calchaqui Valley.

PourPatagonian Pinot Noir

WineArgentine natural and small-producer

FoodSourdough sandwiches and charcuterie

Directions

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