Argentina Wine Guide Part I
Last year, I spent a few months in Buenos Aires, drinking local wines and learning about this country’s innovative wine industry. At first I was surprised to see that wine shops only sell Argentinean wine (the country does not import foreign producers). But winemakers have stepped up and given locals incredible options, from Pinot Noir to Cabernet Franc to Chardonnay and many other varieties with ranging flavors. I’m personally on a Patagonia Pinot Noir grind, but the white wines have surprised me the most with their quality and complexity.
To compare these wines to regions such as Burgundy or Oregon would be an insult, since every winemaker here is currently obsessed with making wines that represent the land. It ain’t this, it ain’t that, it’s just Argentina terroir, which is a fancy word for land, soil and all the things that give wine its characteristics. A thumbprint.
Every week, I went to wine tastings and met the talented folks breaking rules and finding their own wine path in a region with so much potential. Here is my list of top wines I’ve had so far:
Malbec:
2019 Trapiche Fond de Cave Malbec Reserva ($)
These bottles are found in “chinos” (aka street corner stores) all over the city. Fond de Cave is an affordable Malbec with 14 months in French oak. Its flavors are typical of traditional Malbec, with a big body and dark fruit flavors. A solid entry wine for young visitors.
2019 Alamos Malbec Reserve ($)
Alamos won’t let you down. You can find this bottle at a gas station in Sacramento or Carrefour Express in Buenos Aires. They pump out more wine than Poland Spring, but it’s solid for the price.
2018 TintoNegro Malbec Uco Valley ($)
This is my favorite value Malbec out there. It’s made by legendary winemaker Alejandro “Colo” Sejanovich. I was lucky enough to eat dinner with him last month and learn about his philosophy. He doesn’t like using new oak since it masks the true flavor of Malbec and the land it comes from. Sejanovich lets the grape speak for itself, and for that you get a clean, refreshing red wine with an acidity that doesn’t tire your palate or your head. Chill it for 30 minutes and take it down like a champ.
2017 Estancia Los Cardones Malbec ($$)
This Malbec comes from Argentina’s northern winemaking region close to Salta. There’s a lot of interesting wines coming from this high-altitude area, which is also a spectacular place to visit on your next trip. Estancia Los Cardones is a relatively new project from Sejanovich and his business partner Jeff Mausbach. Again, a very pure style but a little more round and approachable than grippier Malbecs from Mendoza’s Uco Valley.
2018 Durigutti Pie de Monte Malbec ($$)
Durigutti is a producer I did not know until I got to Argentina. The first Bonarda (traditional Argentina grape) I ever tried was his 2018 bottle which quickly became my “go-to” for a glass after work. I tried this Malbec during a blind tasting of 20 different Malbecs, and it came in top 3. The wine hails from Mendoza’s Gualtallary subregion, which is synonymous with fresher reds impacted by the region’s colder temperatures. It’s aged in concrete eggs rather than oak or amphorae (those ancient storage jars from like 3000 BC). It has a medium body, some graphite flavors to accompany the fruit, a long finish and beautiful aromas.
Matias Riccitelli Tinto de la Casa ($$)
Riccitelli is mentioned in every circle of wine lovers I’ve met here. Last week I was able to taste most of his wines and I’m not surprised his name is making waves. Forget the juice for a second, the label for Tinto is beautiful and it speaks for Matias’ drive to not only make great wine, but be hands-on in his creative branding. “Tinto de la Casa” translates to “house red”. Matias wondered why house wines always had a bad reputation for being cheap and poor quality. “When someone invites you to their house, why should the wine served be terrible?” He said. Tinto de la Casa is a co-fermented wine, with 50 percent Malbec from Luján de Cuyo and the other half from Gualtallary. The result is a complete wine with smooth tannins, floral aromas and enough strength to show the muscle behind the home you’ve built.
Viña Cobos Malbec ($$$$)
I tasted the 2018 vintage alongside renowned winemaker Paul Hobbs, who co-founded the winery in 1999, and current Cobos winemaker Andres Vignoni. It has Hobbs’ intensity and Vignoni’s finesse in the bottle, which makes it super interesting for a range of wine lovers. It’s layered with rich raspberry and blueberry and spicy aromas that stand up to the meatiest asados.
Pinot Noir:
2019 Primogenito Pinot Noir ($)
Pinot Noir is usually pricey. Part of it may be that it’s one of the toughest grapes to grow since the skins are very thin and susceptible to harsh climates and disease. One Pinot Noir once sold for $558,000. But every now and then you find a killer Pinot for cheap, and that’s Primogenito. Harvested in Patagonia, this wine shows beautiful cool climate flavors such as red cherries and tangy strawberry.
2018 Luca G Lot Pinot Noir ($$)
As my sister’s husband Coby would say “Sheesh Mahal!”. This Pinot is smoother than zombie Michael Jackson. It’s the first Pinot I tried from Argentina, and a benchmark for what Mendoza Pinot Noir is right now. It’s a wine that practically hovers above the palate. Light but bursting with red fruit, mint and floral aromas. After all, it is the most expressive grape.
2018 Zorzal Eggo Filoso Pinot Noir ($$)
I drank this Pinot at Pain et Vin in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It’s insane how refreshing this light, delicate wine is. But it also packs beautiful aromas of strawberry, herbs and something metallic…maybe graphite? One person can easily finish a bottle of this aromatic, see-through red, especially if it’s chilled and paired with a hand-rolled cig.
2019 Estancia Uspallata Blanc de Noir ($$$)
This bottle is made by Sejanovich at the highest vineyard in Mendoza. The white wine is made from Pinot Noir grapes grown at over 6,500 feet. The color of red wine comes from the skin of the grape, so blanc de noirs (“white from black”) are made by separating the skins from the juice that ends up getting fermented. There is a subtle salinity on the palate that surprised me (in a good way) and I think it’s a unique, rare wine that pairs very well with most foods.
Chardonnay:
2018 El Enemigo Chardonnay ($$)
During a blind tasting a few weeks ago, this white wine ended up in my top three. Winemaker Alejandro Vigil co-founded El Enemigo and makes incredible Chardonnay and Semillon with the brand, along with his whites at Bodega Catena Zapata. It’s a full-bodied Chardonnay that’s refreshing and complex, thanks to the Spanish influence of aging wine with flor (a thin line of yeast on the surface of the wine in the barrel).
2019 Falasco Wines Hermandad Chardonnay ($$)
Falasco Wines has been around for a long time in Argentina, but winemaker Pablo Sanchez, who specializes in white wines, is relatively new to the family operation. Sanchez uses new French oak to help create a Chardonnay with intense vanilla aromas and powerful flavors on the palate, but in the end, it’s just as refreshing as any Chardonnay on this list. Sanchez joins the many local winemakers who believe one must create a bottle of wine that can be finished in one sitting.
2017 Matias Riccitelli Chardonnay Viñedos de Montaña ($$$)
An absolute weapon. This was my favorite Chardonnay in the blind tasting I mentioned before. At one point I thought I was drinking an old Riesling (German white wine) because of the petrol aromas. Each sip left me thinking and second guessing the notes I wrote down. Is it melon? Is it green apple? Is it cream? This wine makes you think. In the end, the only certainty I got is that it was memorable.
Sauvignon Blanc
2021 Matias Riccitelli Vino de la Carrera Finca Maria Bombal Sauvignon Blanc ($50)
This was my favorite wine of 2021. When I got to Matias’ winery during my latest Mendoza trip, the winemaker was in a rush to see his family. We exchanged a few words, which included, “You’ll try the best Sauvignon Blanc of Argentina today.” After he left, I sat with his older sister, Veronica, who took me through a few of the wines and this Sauvie B stood out. At over 5,500 feet, La Carrera is home to some of Mendoza’s highest and coldest vineyards. This is a wild wine with high acidity, grassy and herbaceous notes, and a touch of fruit to make it one of the most unique wines I’ve ever had. It’s a tough find in the U.S., but reach out to Elixir Wine Group to track it down.
Other:
Bodega Lopez Traful Vino Blanco Dulce ($)
This is literally Miami in a can. I love it.
2018 Durigutti Bonarda ($)
This is my go-to red while in Buenos Aires. Bonarda is a very traditional grape in Argentina that hasn’t made it big in the U.S. yet. I love that it has everything going on, red and black fruits, medium to full body and simple aromas that don’t distract you from the present moment. It’s a crowd pleaser.
Ver Sacrum Monastrell Los Chacayes Valle de Uco ($)
I was trashed when I tried this wine, but I remember it very distinctly. My buddy and local wine expert Lucas Rothschild bought the bottle and we talked about it together. It was chilled and froze my teeth and gums with cool acidity and bright flavors that had me ready to dance. Strawberry and sour cherry provided a good respite from the classic Malbec and Cabernet flavors I’d been drinking up until then.
2020 Solo Contigo Develado Cabernet Franc-Cabernet Sauvignon blend ($)
I visited Solo Contigo when I visited Mendoza with my dad in March. It’s a small operation that makes great reds. This blend is served by the glass at Don Julio restaurant in the heart of Buenos Aires. It’s bold but balanced with good acidity. An unbelievable pairing for the best meat dishes in the world.
Matias Riccitelli Kung Fu Criolla and Pet Nat ($$)
I went to a tasting with Matias a few weeks ago and tried his natural wine label called Kung Fu. The Pet Nat (sparkling wine) and Criolla (local wine grape) were really, really good. With this project, Riccitelli is going back to more traditional winemaking methods, but crafting wines that listen to today’s palate. They are light and refreshing, but unique in a subtle way. When you drink these, you know it comes from the heart.
2019 Estancia Uspallata Igneo red blend ($$$)
This is the most impressive wine I tried from Sejanovich. A showstopper. It’s a blend of Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc that goes coast to coast with the flavor mix. It has all you could ask for in a solid-built red: juicy tannins, touch of spice, red and black fruits and acidity that makes you pick up the glass every 30 seconds for another sip. It’s a very small production for now, so it’s a tough find but worth the effort.
Until Next Time…
If you have any questions or comments, DM me on Instagram or email me at zylberbergs@gmail.com!
