Premium Argentinian Malbec: Panel tasting results

Amanda Barnes, Madeleine Stenwreth MW and Dirceu Vianna Junior MW tasted 136 wines with 8 Outstanding and 74 Highly recommended.

Premium Argentinian Malbec: Panel tasting scores

136 wines tasted

Exceptional 0

Outstanding 8

Highly recommended 74

Recommended 44

Commended 2

Fair 8

Poor 0

Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their current-release wines labelled as single-varietal Malbec, in which Malbec represents at least 85% of the blend, with a minimum retail price of £15 or US$18

You would be surprised at how exciting it can be to taste nearly 140 Malbecs back-to-back. Far from any monotony, there was a compelling diversity of wine styles, regions and expressions in this panel tasting. Proving that premium Malbec remains at the forefront of the evolving face of Argentine wine, the tasting highlighted not only an ever-greater focus on terroir – particularly in the sub-regions of Mendoza’s Uco Valley – but also a quest for freshness and elegance.

‘The best examples displayed excellent varietal definition and a real sense of place,’ commented Dirceu Vianna Junior MW. ‘It is wonderful to see great premium Malbec emerging from all corners of the country, with especially high quality coming out of Mendoza’s Uco Valley and more specifically [Paraje] Altamira.’

Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores from the Premium Argentinian Malbec panel tasting

Distinctive regional expressions ranged from the powerful, dark-fruited and mineral examples from San Juan’s Pedernal Valley to the supple yet heady ripe fruits and roasted herb aromas of the Calchaquí Valleys in northern Argentina. Within Mendoza, there was also notable differences between the Uco Valley’s more floral expressions, filled with violets and fresh red fruit, and the inkier, richer wines of Maipú and the structured but bright wines of Luján de Cuyo.

While the Uco Valley dominated the tasting in terms of the number of entries, Madeleine Stenwreth MW was particularly excited by the wines from further afield: ‘There are traditional areas that can make beautiful wines even if they don’t always match the profile of what people expect from Uco… They might be different, but when they are at their best, they are absolutely gorgeous.’

A more restrained approach in the cellar, with less oak influence and fresher fruit expression, allowed the difference in these terroirs to come to the fore. As a panel, we collectively felt that the riper, oakier styles of wine – which were often the most expensive, too – overshadowed regional identity.

See all the wines from the Premium Argentinian Malbec panel tasting

‘A lot of the wines that are aiming for the higher-end price point are working the wine too hard – with heavy extractions and a lot of oak. You sort of expect that – but it’s boring,’ reflected Stenwreth. ‘Those that do it well hold back on extraction and oak, and allow the place to shine through.’

There were notable stylistic differences, too, from more perfumed and light-bodied expressions to richer, fruit-driven iterations. The differences in style often split us as a panel, eliciting some heated debate! However, what we all agreed on was that this heterogeneity is to be celebrated as it reflects the increasing diversity that wine lovers can expect from Malbec. Today, there’s undoubtedly an expression of Malbec for everyone.

A common thread running through all the wines, on the other hand, was the great drinkability of Malbec – especially in the most recent vintages (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022). ‘A unifying quality that premium Malbec possesses is drinkability,’ concurred Vianna. ‘The vast majority of the wines we tasted were juicy, smooth and easy to enjoy. This is why consumers rightly love Malbec.’

Premium Argentinian Malbec panel tasting scores

Wines were tasted blind

The judges

Amanda Barnes is a writer and presenter specialising in South American travel and wine. A DWWA judge, she is author of the awardwinning South America Wine Guide (£35 www.southamericawineguide.com)

Madeleine Stenwreth MW is an international wine consultant based in Sweden. Prior to setting up her consultancy in 2010, she was quality & product development manager for a leading wine importer in the Nordic market, having also been wine buyer for South Africa and South America at Swedish alcohol monopoly Systembolaget

Dirceu Vianna Junior MW is a wine writer, consultant and educator. Based in the UK since 1989, he was a director at some of the UK’s top distributors. After becoming a Master of Wine in 2008, he co-authored the awarded book Conheça Vinhos (‘Understanding Wine’, in Portuguese)

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