Malbec grape variety is usually associated with Argentine wines, since it is the most grown stock in the country. Argentina is the fifth world wine producer and one of the main wine exporting countries in the world. Malbec grape variety is a red wine grape, followed in popularity by the Bonarda and the Cabernet Sauvignon. It usually produces varietal wines, which means that one or more wine varieties are used. It is sometimes blended with the Cabernet Sauvignon. The Malbec is native to France and its vineyards are numerous in the Cahors region –located in the southwest of France. In Bordeaux, it lost popularity due to a frost that destroyed 75% of the vineyards in the 1950s. It was planted in Argentina halfway through the 20th century; the country is today the first Malbec producer in the world. It is a purple-coloured thin-skinned grape, which needs more sun than other varieties to ripen. As it seems, it does not resist frosts well, taking into account what happened in Bordeaux. Malbec wines are of a dark colour and have plenty of tannins as well as a particular plum flavour. In general, they are intense wines; hence, many wineries tend to blend it with other varieties in order to create assemblage wines. By means of Argento’s blog, The Real Argentina, discover the qualities that have turned the Malbec into the most popular variety in Argentina. It is particularly important in the region of Mendoza, the most important wine producing region in the country with over 80% of Malbec wines being produced there. Discover restaurants and bars where you can taste the intense flavour and aroma of its wines and find out which food is paired with this variety. Our simple pairing guide will give you the needed tips in order for you to choose the perfect menu to go with your Malbec wine. Actually, it is not difficult to pair with, since it combines both with complex dishes and with simple everyday recipes. For example, it is particularly well paired with the Argentine roast, with dishes dressed with carbonara sauce, with lentil stews or with slightly spicy cheeses. Moreover, you will find out that the different Malbec wines produced by Argento are found among the favourite ones of some of the best Argentine sommeliers. There are important differences between Argentine Malbec wines and French Malbec wines. The former are more velvety and darker whereas the latter are more structured. The recommended temperature to serve a varietal wine is 16 degrees. This grape variety is so popular in the country that every 17th of April the Malbec Wine Day is celebrated. The celebration commemorates the day that the Argentine president Domingo Faustino Sarmiento asked agronomist Michel Aimé Pouget, also known as Miguel Pouget, to bring new varieties to Argentina. Among them, the Malbec was found.
After their football team, the object of Argentines’ national pride is their meat – and they have every right to revel in one of the deadly sins. It’s widely accepted to be some of the best in the world and, as a consequence, they also indulge in another deadly sin: gluttony.
If you’ve chosen to visit Buenos Aires, you probably enjoy a splash of vino colapso. But don’t let a tiny thing like not speaking Spanish affect your wine tasting in Argentina, as plenty of English-speaking sommeliers are based in BA. Here, three top sommeliers talk about my favourite subject, Argentinian wine
Travelling through Argentina’s vast and beguiling landscapes leaves no doubt as to the incredible variety and contrasts found in this country’s wine regions. From the dizzying heights of northerly Salta, to the wind-swept southerly climes of Patagonia, experience Argentina’s terroir.
Most wine lovers will have munched on meat and Malbec and tangoed with Torrontés and summery fare but Argentina’s wines offer many other food-friendly temptations besides. And one of the most exciting finds is Argentine Pinot Noir.
Already blessed with a superb flagship variety in Malbec, Argentina’s winemakers are increasingly revealing their hand as masters of the art of blending. This is especially true of their top red wines where the sumptuous, aromatic purity of high altitude Malbec is proving a perfect partner with a host of Bordeaux and other red varieties.
Cooking with wine means you are compelled to uncork a bottle at least an hour before you otherwise would, and to drink a glass or two at least an hour before you probably should. This is self-evidently a good thing.
Taking at least one overland trip in Argentina is a must and the only way to really appreciate the country’s vast size. A few trips later – and bingo games aside – you start to realise Argentina bus travel is akin to being on a plane.
When Luigi Bosca, a top wine producer from Mendoza, made his first appearance at the London Wine Fair in 1993 people shuffled up to his stand, looking curious. “Does Argentina actually make wine!?” How times have changed…
Of all the national dishes on offer throughout the country, empanadas are especially evocative of Argentina food and culture. In this delicious empanada recipe, we’ll be going showing you how to prepare ossobuco empanadas topped with hot tomatoes and baked red onion sauce.
There is a significant – and growing – minority of diners who think before they drink, and who, when choosing a restaurant, give as much consideration to what they want from the cellar as to what they want from the kitchen. Here are some of the best Buenos Aires restaurants for wine lovers.