For anyone who dismisses Argentine wines for being nothing more than a showcase of heavy malbecs, it’s time to take another look. Our Argentine Wine of the Year, the Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Paraje Altamira Valle de Uco Los Amantes 2021, stands as a testament to the evolving identity of malbec in the country, veering toward refinement and site-specific precision with a unique identity and gastronomic allure rather than simply being a generic expression overlain with bold color, new oak and voluptuous fruit.
During our tasting trip earlier this year to Mendoza, James and I visited many new vineyards and talked to about 60 producers, many of whom are pushing the boundaries of viticulture in the country by venturing to higher altitudes but also gaining a deeper understanding of their own terroirs as they seek greater precision in their wines. In total, we tasted nearly 1,400 wines from the country.
For many of Argentina's top wines, the significance of place now often outweighs considerations of grape variety, vintage, vine age or the use of oak barrels. This philosophy has transformed many of the country’s malbecs into more nuanced, detailed and diverse expressions. On the downside, this increasingly precise and holistic viti-vini philosophy has led to an array of new wines with a small production volume that are only accessible to a niche market, resulting in high prices for the wines.