Explore 10 iconic Argentine wines, from high-altitude Malbec and Patagonia Pinot Noir to Adrianna Vineyard Chardonnay, selected by wine writer James Lawrence.
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Estimated reading time: 12 minutes
The Best Argentinian Wines
The term ‘iconic wine’ is ubiquitous in the fine wine trade, yet difficult to define precisely. What makes a wine truly exceptional? Outstanding terroir, winemaking, and historical pedigree—an ensemble of different elements—must come together in perfection, binding tightly to forge something far greater than the sum of its parts.
Altura Máxima is such a wine. Indeed, the jewel in the crown of the Colomé winery in Salta is a fitting poster child for Argentina’s entry into the fine wine sphere – powerfully aromatic and intense. The wine is beautifully textured and impeccably balanced, the very epitome of elegance. Tired old cliches about Argentina producing “fruit bombs” are woefully out of date – the best of Argentina’s fine wine output effortlessly merges force and finesse with spectacular results. This is the defining feature of the country’s leading icon wines. High-altitude viticulture and ideal ripening conditions combine to produce balanced, age-worthy wines that are rapidly becoming collector’s items.
Of course, Argentina is still a long way off from making auction headlines or competing with Bordeaux and Burgundy; nevertheless, the world’s sixth-largest producer today makes some very delectable wines. However, for the moment, red wine, particularly old-vine Malbec-based reds or Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon blends, almost exclusively dominates this club. Mendoza remains the key to unlocking the country’s potential – with vineyards rising from 500m up to over 1500m, there’s a site suited to every grape variety. Even so, the country’s best whites have advanced enormously.
Despite this, oenophiles without trust funds have an attractive opportunity to sample some of the world’s most outstanding red wines at reasonable prices – at least compared to investment-grade Cru Classé Bordeaux! Many top-scoring wines still cost less than $150, although Argentina’s most sought-after labels now command substantially more. Single-vineyard Malbec may offer fewer bragging rights than Screaming Eagle, but true wine lovers have never cared about status symbols or wine’s speculative power. They buy for pleasure, not for profit, something that Argentina offers in generous abundance, as our list below will demonstrate:
I have tasted a great many Argentine wines over the years and watched, with considerable interest, as the country’s best producers have steadily raised their game. That evolution is not confined to Mendoza: the increasingly exciting Cafayate region in Salta is producing wines of real character and ambition. Today, Argentina’s finest wines can comfortably compete with the world’s best. The wines below are personal favorites, chosen from many tastings and more than a few fond memories.
A recent visit to Salta and Mendoza confirmed something I had long known: Colomé remains one of Argentina’s greatest wine estates. Getting there is quite an adventure – many miles along rough, unpaved roads into an isolated corner of the Calchaquí Valleys – but it is worth every bump. The setting is extraordinary, the winery beautiful, and Altura Máxima remains one of the most remarkable Malbecs I have tasted.
This one is extraordinary. An exceptional terroir has given rise to a truly exceptional wine, one of Argentina’s best. Situated at 1,100 meters above sea level in the Valle de Uco, Finca Altamira’s old-vine Malbec, planted in 1950, ripens to perfection year after year, producing super-concentrated yet elegant wines that deliver immediate pleasure and age beautifully. The project began in 1998; Finca Altamira 1999 was Achaval-Ferrer’s debut wine. And to think, the former owners of this majestic property almost ripped out Altamira and replaced it with garlic bulbs!
Violets, red fruit, orange peel, balsamic notes, mineral character
Palate
Structured and fragrant with fine-grained tannins, balanced acidity, distinct mineral saline character
Finish
Bright, fresh, prolonged, serious tannic structure, mineral saline flavor
Serve at
10–15 °C
2.Viña Cobos – Volturno Cabernet Sauvignon
Best forCellaring
Who would have thought that Argentine Cabernet Sauvignon could yield such spectacular results? Paul Hobbs founded the winery with Andrea Marchiori and Luis Barraud; today, their signature wine, Volturno, consistently earns high scores and is keenly sought after at home and abroad. Its power, depth, balance, and complexity are among the many reasons to love Volturno, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t snap up a bottle soon. The volumes are small, and as its reputation grows, so will the asking price.
Roasted red pepper, delicate pastry, clove, wild strawberry; additional notes of dark berries, licorice, and chocolate in some vintages.
Palate
Complex and balanced, with fine tannins and good concentration; some vintages show mineral texture with red fruit, licorice, and marmalade flavors.
Finish
Long and persistent; described as round in some vintages and intense in others.
Serve at
16–18°C
Pairs with
Red meats · grilled and smoked dishes · hard and strong cheeses · mushroom-based sauces
3.Bodega Colomé – Altura Máxima Malbec
Best forCellaring
Colomé winery in Salta
The fruit for this superlative Malbec comes from one of the world’s highest vineyards, in the Upper Calchaquí Valleys at 3,111m above sea level. Each year, they produce small amounts of Altura Máxima and age the wine in used French oak barrels, adding structure and texture. The result is a mind-blowing, perfectly balanced expression of power and finesse, bursting with dark black fruits, cherries, blackberries, and spices. ‘Exquisite’ is the word.
Key details
Producer
Bodega Colomé
Region / appellation
Salta · Valles Calchaquíes
Wine type
Red wine
Style
High-altitude Malbec, French oak-aged
Grape varieties
Malbec
Tasting profile
Aroma
Dark black fruits, blackberry, cherry, spice, with balsamic and bay leaf undertones
Palate
Robust mouthfeel with fresh acidity, beautifully textured and impeccably balanced; dry and compact with energetic drive
Argentina has done it again! Luigi Bosca’s self-proclaimed icon wine, a seductive Cabernet/Malbec blend, effortlessly demonstrates the remarkable potential of the Luján de Cuyo terroir for Bordeaux’s signature grape variety, making it a surefire hit. Produced since 2005, Ícono comes from vines more than 90 years old in Las Compuertas, 1,050 meters above sea level. Powerful dark fruit and silky smooth tannins are its trademarks; unsurprisingly, Ícono sells out quickly upon release.
Balanced and elegant aromas with subtle yet complex expression. Notes of black fruits, ripe plums, cassis, and blackberries, complemented by a delicate violet bouquet and subtle toasted oak.
Palate
Fresh, smooth, and harmonious with fine textures and a fruity character well integrated with oak-aging notes. Full-bodied with great structure; firm, ripe tannins provide volume and character. Malbec contributes red fruit, spice, and licorice notes with round, sweet tannins, while Cabernet Sauvignon adds truffle, dried fruit, and minerality with more rustic, age-worthy tannins.
Finish
Long, persistent, and velvety, with fresh balanced acidity. The finish reflects the wine's significant aging potential.
Serve at
15–18°C
Pairs with
Special dishes such as Segovian-style suckling pig · venison bourguignon with creamy white ground maize.
5.Susana Balbo Wines – Nosotros Malbec
Best forCellaring
Made from a single vineyard selected anew each vintage, Susana Balbo’s signature Malbec is in a league of its own. Indeed, Susana Balbo and her team produce blockbuster-style wines at their base of operations in Mendoza – Nosotros, which is the flagship. It’s a powerful style of Malbec, renowned for its dense, voluptuous palate and dark color. One swirl reveals the majesty of licorice, lavender, exotic spices, and black fruits. Nosotros will age, but who could bear to wait?
What more can be said about Nicolás Catena, the man who put premium Argentine wines on the map? Now run by his charming daughter, Laura Catena, the entire range is magnificent, but none more so than the limited-edition blend Estiba Reservada. They make minute amounts of this remarkable wine, a potent blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Unfortunately, you rarely see the bottles, though you may be lucky enough to find an older vintage at an auction or winery!
Intense nose of cedar, ripe red cassis, tobacco, and sweet spice, with additional notes of ripe red and black fruits, mint, and eucalyptus.
Palate
Sweet, soft entry leading to a rich, concentrated wine with red fruit flavors, subtle black pepper, and eucalyptus, complemented by toasted and vanilla notes harmoniously integrated with the fruit.
Finish
Long and elegant, with round, silky tannins.
Serve at
16–20°C
Pairs with
Grilled and roasted meats · game dishes · and rich sauces
7.Bressia – Conjuro, Bordeaux Blend
Best forCellaring
Another delicious Bordeaux blend from winemaker Walter Bressia, owner of Mendoza’s finest boutique winery. Conjuro, meaning magic spell, comes from Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot grown in Tupungato in the Uco Valley. They make only small quantities of this super-concentrated wine, offering a sheer hedonist’s delight.
Elegant and expressive aromas of ripe black fruits (plums, blackberries, black cherries), herbal and spicy notes (black pepper, mint), with oak-influenced vanilla, chocolate, and smoky nuances; some vintages show aniseed, licorice, and floral (violet) undertones.
Palate
Full-bodied and broad with voluminous entry; ripe, silky tannins with robust but elegant structure; good acidity; generous but measured flavors of black fruits, chocolate, and vanilla with a meaty, enveloping texture.
Finish
Long, persistent, and unctuous finish with seductive texture; freshness adds tension and depth; lingering notes of black fruit, spice, and mineral.
Pairs with
Grilled and roasted red meats · lamb with herbs · beef empanadas · mature hard cheeses · mushroom dishes.
8.Cheval des Andes – Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon blend
Best forCellaring
Cheval des Andes produces a powerful, age-worthy, refined Malbec blend. Described by the estate as the ‘Grand Cru of the Andes’, Cheval des Andes was born in 1999 from a joint venture between Château Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de Los Andes, inspired by Pierre Lurton. From old-vine vineyards in Las Compuertas and La Consulta comes an astonishingly complex, concentrated, yet balanced wine fit for a king.
Malbec 49%, Cabernet Sauvignon 49%, Petit Verdot 2%
Tasting & serving
Aroma
Ripe red fruits including cherries, plums and cassis, with hints of spices, black pepper and violets.
Palate
Sumptuously rich and full-bodied, with powerful yet refined tannins contributing structure.
Finish
Returns to red and stony fruit aromas with spicy overtones.
Serve at
16–18°C
Glassware
Large-bowled Bordeaux glass
Pairs with
Grilled red meats · braised lamb · aged hard cheeses
9.Bodega Chacra – Treinta y Dos, Pinot Noir
Best forCellaring
The second entry in our list that doesn’t emanate from Mendoza, Treinta y Dos, is undoubtedly the finest Pinot Noir in Argentina today. The wine is the brainchild of Piero Incisa Della Rocchetta, a well-known member of an Italian winemaking family. While visiting Argentina, he decided to invest in the Río Negro region of Patagonia, purchasing an abandoned Pinot Noir plantation first planted in 1932 (hence the name of his wine: Treinta y Dos). His investment has paid massive dividends; Treinta y Dos is a genuinely profound expression of Pinot Noir, merging the generosity of Argentina’s fruit-driven style with the poise, minerality, and acidity of a great Burgundy.
Violets, black cherries, raspberries, crushed stone, orange blossoms, with notes of flower stems, dried sand and bark
Palate
Medium- to full-bodied with layered, fine tannins and a cashmere-like texture; bright, lively and elegant with silky, velvety structure
Finish
Long, mineral-tinged finish with citrus-fresh brightness and refined persistence
10.Catena Zapata – Adrianna Vineyard White Bones Chardonnay
Best forCellaring
Is this Argentina’s best white wine? We would certainly argue that this is the case – White Bones is, in fact, one of the best Chardonnays we’ve tried in South America. After a painstaking journey, Nicolás Catena came across a special high-altitude vineyard in the Gualtallary sub-district of the Tupungato region. The soil is key; a mix of calcareous deposits, limestone, and fossilized animal bones may help explain the wine’s distinct floral character. Refined, elegant, and utterly moreish, this is more than a match for a top white Burgundy.
Key details
Producer
Bodega Catena Zapata
Region / appellation
Mendoza · Gualtallary, Tupungato, Uco Valley
Wine type
White wine
Style
Single-vineyard, barrel-fermented, oaked
Grape varieties
Chardonnay
Tasting & serving
Aroma
Lime zest, white flowers, and green ginger over crushed stones, with hints of cool herbs, chalk dust, and dill.
Palate
Taut and focused, with racy acidity driving citrus and white-peach fruit along a mineral, saline spine; silken yet tensile texture.
Finish
Long and mouthwatering, with oyster-shell, chalk, and saline mineral impressions lingering on the palate.
Serve at
10–12 °C
Pairs with
Seafood and delicate fish such as ceviche or seared scallops; also roasted poultry with fresh herbs and white asparagus dishes.
With a passion for food & drink that verges on the obsessive, wine writer James Lawrence has traveled the world in search of the perfect tipple. To date, nothing has surpassed the 1952 R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Rioja Reserva, tasted in the cobweb-filled cellars with owner María José. Meanwhile, James has written for a wide variety of publications, including The Telegraph, Decanter, Harpers Wine & Spirit, The Drinks Business, and Wine Business International. He lives in South Wales and returns to his former university city, Bilbao, as much as possible.
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Jong Ahnsays:
December 23, 2020 at 1:04 am
I am very much interested in Argentine wine and Viticulture