Argentina is famed for its wine; in fact, wine is legally recognised as the country’s national beverage. Historically its famed Malbec has had ‘Main Character Energy’ but, on a recent trip to the wine region of Mendoza (pronounced ‘Mendosa’ with an ‘s’), there were some other finds that struck me with their star quality.
Eduardo Suarez of Ver Sacrum refuses to produce Malbec, focusing on a range of other grapes. “Nature loves diversity and hates monoculture, I am convinced that a monovarietal country is doomed,” he explains. “After all, wine is nature”.
He poured out his La Dama Del Abrigo Rojo (£31.70, Noblegrape.co.uk) over dinner, my first South American Nebbiolo, and it was delicious. Why isn’t there more of this stuff around?
We often think of reds as full-blooded, powerful glasses to be enjoyed Gaucho style with thick, juicy slabs of Argentine steak. But white wines are gaining momentum, with the rising global and local demand for lighter, fresher, vegetarian-friendly wines. Torrontes is the most cultivated white in Argentina, but it can be problematic with its typically simple florals. I have heard it (unfairly, I think) likened to air freshener in wine circles. Chakana has solved that with its dynamic take on the grape from a skin contact wine I adored, and its more conventional (but still superb) Estate Selection Torrontes (VINVM.co.uk, £18.30). An innovative biodynamic winery – in a country where less than one per cent of wines are biodynamic – it is pushing boundaries both in their viticulture and wine styles. I hope to see more of its wines over here in the future.
Cocktails are also on the rise with “Vermouth Hour” being all the rage among the young and fashionable of Buenos Aires. Catena, the oldest family-run winery in the country, is moving with the times to produce a cognac-style brandy, a sherry-style fino and a stunning vermouth that I drank over ice with soda water and a slice of orange. The wines are still just as spectacular, making the most of Adrianna vineyard, the highest in Uco Valley, to create White Stones as well as White Bones Chardonnay – both exceptional and something to jump on when the 2022 vintage lands in the UK (Hedonism, £95).
It was clear from the trip that there is an overall trend in Mendoza to raise the freshness and reduce the overt oak. “We are changing the style of wines to adapt to the consumer and the climate, but the spirit of the wine remains the same,” says Argento and Ortonia winemaker Juan Pablo Murgia. “Through these wines we show Argentina”.
For me, however, the real surprise was the Cabernet Franc, which was simply the best I have sampled from anywhere in the world – including France. It was once blended with Malbec but now there is a new wave emerging solo, stealing Malbec’s red wine thunder. In the last three years, planting has increased by 60 per cent and it is especially valuable in raising fine wine awareness in Argentina. “Malbec can be any level from entry to fine,” says Murgia. “But Cabernet Franc is only fine”. Most winemakers I met loved to work with it, creating sensational, beautiful reds. In a whole week, I did not find a dud.
“The potential of Cabernet Franc is better than Cabernet Sauvignon,” agrees José Alberto Zuccardi, a charming figure in Argentine wine. “But Malbec is part of our identity”. It’s clearly not all over yet Malbec, rather a transition to something more sophisticated and precise. I found my favourite style of Malbec in Zuccardi Concreto (Laithwaites, £29), a fresh, complex, beautiful expression that will ensure Malbec continues its crowd-pleasing popularity for quite a while longer.
Naked Wine of the week
Dominic Hentall Bourgogne Saint Veran 2021, £22.99, Naked Wines
NAKED WINES Angel Price £16.99 (see how below)
A multiple gold medal winning wine, this Chardonnay is absolutely fantastic and hugely over-delivers, providing rounded stone fruit flavours typical of an elegant Burgundian white, underpinned by a fresh, lively lemon citrus. Vibrant and elegant, I would recommend taking it out of the fridge 20 minutes before serving to make the most of this tasty wine.
Wine Recommendations
Denbies Cubitt Blanc de Blancs 2014 Magnum £75
A fabulous large-format English sparkling wine, this Blanc de Blancs is 100 per cent Chardonnay and the long ageing has developed wonderful complex notes of brioche and honey with a fine effervescence. Go large this party season and snap up one of these from the Surrey hills.
Mount Langhi Ghiran Shiraz 2021 £94.50
Harvey Nichols
Two Italian brothers have taken their winemaking skills to Australia to produce this stunning cool-climate Shiraz. Famed for their award-winning Shiraz, this is a sumptuous, rich, refined red wine with tons of dark fruits, chocolate and smoke that deserves to be savoured.
Van Hunks Cap Classique Brut £19.97
Amazon
The UK loves a Cap Classique, the sparkling wine made the same way as Champagne but in sunny South Africa. This blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is a deep gold in the glass with vibrant effervescence, rich notes of crunchy red apple and ripe stone fruit, and a quaffable zestiness.
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