The wines of Argentina seem to occupy more shelf space every time I visit my friendly neighbourhood booze merchant, and for good reason indeed.
Argentina is blessed with a climate conducive to wine production, and their runaway inflation means that our struggling Canadian dollars can still buy Argentine wine for a very reasonable price.
The name Argentina comes from the Latin word for silver, which is what the Spanish conquistadors were searching for during the early days of Spanish colonization in the 1500’s. It was not long after the first waves of Spanish colonization that European grape varietals were planted in Argentina, and certain grapes thrived particularly well in the Argentine terroir.
The most famous Argentine wine export is Malbec, a grape varietal originally from the Bordeaux region of France, which grows very well in Argentina.
Malbec is one of the six grape varietals permitted in Bordeaux wines, giving it a pedigree of the highest order, as Bordeaux is widely considered the gold standard that all others are judged against.
Today, Argentina is the world’s fifth largest wine producer, but it began with a single humble vineyard planted by Christian missionaries in the late 1550’s. Production was small for a few centuries, until the biggest leap for the Argentine wine industry took place in 1868, when the Malbec grape varietal was introduced from the Bordeaux region of France, and has since become the national grape varietal for Argentina.
Argentine Malbec is noticeably distinct from French Malbec. Argentine Malbec grapes tend to be smaller than their French counterparts, and are considerably less tannic, making Argentine wines more plush and velvety on the tongue.
Some of these differences are due to terroir, but it is also suspected that the vineyards of Argentina are planted with a unique offshoot of Malbec that disappeared from France during the great phylloxera epidemic that devastated European vineyards in the mid-nineteenth century.
The bulk of the vineyards in Argentina are around the city of Mendoza, on a high-altitude plateau at the edge of the Andes mountains. The most productive vineyards are located 800 to 1200 meters above sea level, with hot sunny days moderated by chilly nights for a long growing season that allows the rich flavours to fully mature before harvest.
Malbec develops a thicker skin when grown at high altitudes, making Argentine grapes more robust and hardy than than their French counterparts, which helps produce the more full-bodied flavour that Argentine wines are known for.
Whatever the reasons, Malbec has been increasing in popularity since the 1990’s, with Argentina the world leader in production. Malbec is also grown in neighbouring Chile, and has also spread to Australia, and even a few small Canadian plantings near Kelowna.
The Malbec grape is deep violet in color, and generally produces a big and bold red wine. You will often find Malbec bottled as a single varietal, but it is also blended with more tannic grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, as the Malbec helps take the bitter edge off of highly tannic grapes.
Argentine Malbec is quite fruit-forward, with notes of blackberry and plum on the tongue, fading into hints of cocoa and leather in the finish. The long growing season reduces the tannins, producing a plush and velvety wine.
Because Malbec is not a highly tannic wine, care should be taken when pairing with food. Avoid red meats like juicy rare steaks in favour of leaner cuts. I find Malbec to pair perfectly with a nice lean Alberta bison roast, or lighter meats like chicken or veal.
While we may be singing the blues about our low Canadian dollar at the moment, the Argentine peso is faring even worse, which essentially lets us buy Argentine wines at a permanent discount. Due to the currency imbalances, a $20 bottle of Argentinian wine is often the equivalent of a $40 bottle of Canadian wine, making Malbec a tremendous value.
You will find the bulk of the Argentine Malbecs at your local booze merchant to be under $20, making them easy to purchase on a whim.
When I entertain at home, I often pick up a few bottles of Malbec at different price points, and my guests often prefer the $17 bottles to the $25 bottles. Pick up a few bottles and see for yourself!
