Part of a very strong range under Zuccardi’s Polígonos brand, this comes from cooler, south-facing vines at 1,100 metres in Paraje Altamira, one of the finest sun-regions of Argentina’s high-altitude Uco Valley. Markedly influenced by its limestone soils, it luxuriates in violet and wet stone aromas, lovely zip and acidity, chalky minerality and intense plum, damson and blackberry fruit flavours.
Country: Argentina
2023 Zuccardi Q Chardonnay, Uco Valley, Mendoza
( £16.50, 13.5%, Tesco )Not many people realise it, but the cooler, high-altitude areas of Argentina’s Uco Valley are producing some delicious white wines at the moment, most notably from Chardonnay. This deftly wooded example from Sebastián Zuccardi, made with grapes from El Peral and Gualtallary, is wonderfully focused, direct and refreshing, with layers of lemongrass, citrus peel, fennel and oyster shell, mouth-watering acidity and a stony, tapering finish.
2022 Terrazas de los Andes Organic Malbec, Mendoza
( £16.50 or 25% off if you buy six, 14%, Sainsbury's )There are cheaper Argentinian Malbecs on the market, but this one only uses grapes from the high-altitude Uco Valley regions of Eugenio Bustos, Los Chacayes and Paraje Altamira, so it’s especially vibrant and refreshing, even in a hot vintage like 2022. Perfumed and engaging, it has textbook top notes of violet, liquorice and Andean wild herbs, glossy tannins, tangy minerality and juicy plum and blackberry fruit embellished by subtle, toasty oak.
Uncomfortable Truths
by Kate Lofthouse
Champagne is one of the elegant extras in life. These words, borrowed from Dickens, capture some of the glamour and sparkle of Champagne, its decadence and luxury. It is a...
2024 Domaine Bousquet Finca Lalande The Land Cabernet Franc, Uco Valley, Mendoza
( £10.99, 14.5%, Waitrose )Domaine Bousquet is one of the biggest and best organic producers in Argentina, so it’s good to see this newly released Uco Valley Cabernet Franc on a UK supermarket shelf. Full-bodied yet fresh, Finca Lalande is an appealingly floral, focused expression of the grape that has found a home in the higher parts of Mendoza. Entirely unwooded, it has aromas of cut grass and green herbs, lots of zip and acidity and flavours of plum and black cherry.
2012 Weinert Cavas de Weinert, Mendoza
( £27, 14% )Weinert is one of the most proudly traditional producers in Argentina, making wines that are squirrelled away for years in large wooden casks before release. This is a seamless blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with 20% Malbec. It’s ripe, intense and savoury with mature, autumnal aromas of leather, incense and fallen leaves and a palate that combines structure and backbone with sinewy tannins and flavours of red berries, cassis and a spicy, balsamic twist. Great value at under £30.
Wines To Drink On A Date
by Cong Cong Bo
On a cold, bright Saturday afternoon in January, a student couple entered my Cambridge wine shop-bar, Amphora. It was early and the venue was empty. After glancing at the extensive...
2021 Alta Vista Terroir Selection Malbec, Mendoza
( £15, 14.5%, Sainsbury's )On offer at Sainsbury’s right now, this is an outstanding value Malbec from one of the country’s best producers. Blending grapes from the Luján de Cuyo and Uco Valley sub-regions of Mendoza, it’s full-bodied, plush, yet remarkably fresh and layered, with aromas of violet and aniseed, sculpted tannins, plum and blueberry fruit and a frame of scented, spicy oak. Good now, but will develop further in bottle.
On Paragons And Icons
by Tim Atkin
My late friend Michael Cox, who ran Wines of Chile’s UK office for more than a decade, had a great line about so-called “icon wines”. “Is that one word or...
Same, Same But Different
by Robert Joseph
There is no such thing as Jane Eyre, or the Mona Lisa, or Citizen Kane. Or a bottle of Château Lafite or Pinot Grigio. At least, there is no precise...
2020 Colomé Estate Malbec, Salta
( £23.99, 14.5%, Hedonism, Noel Young Wines, The Secret Cellar )“Our classic Malbec,” is how Thibaut Delmotte describes this blend of four vineyards at different altitudes – Altura Máxima, Colomé, El Arenal and La Brava. Wonderfully juicy and scented, it’s the perfect introduction to the variety, with intense damson, blueberry and wild thyme flavours, palate-caressing tannins and a tangy finish.
2021 Riccitelli Wines Hey! Malbec, Mendoza
( £10.99, 14%, Majestic )“Honest and pure” is how Matías Riccitelli likes to describe this equal blend of Luján de Cuyo and Uco Valley Malbecs, now produced as a 200,000 bottle blend. Floral, tangy and bright, Hey! is as appealing as its comic book label, with supple tannins and juicy bramble, aniseed and blackberry flavours. Essence of Argentina at a great price.