When I first went to Mendoza in 2000, I was stunned by the longevity of some of the region's Malbecs. It was also impressive how well their black fruit, spicy flavors and lush tannins synergized with big hunks of meat grilled over grapevines.
No one makes meat like the Argentines: in terms of both flavor and show, so this country has long had a tradition of producing intense reds to go with every piece of the cow imaginable. Residents here were also raised on Malbec, from a young age, and their devotion to it is strong. So, it's no surprise that producers, and marketers, have brought their passion for this red grape to both the domestic and export markets.
No disrespect to Malbec intended, but I wonder if the Argentines are doing themselves any favors by literally putting all their grapes in one basket named Malbec. Especially when there are so many other solid reds – such as Bonarda and Cabernet Franc – which might allow this massive and competitively priced, wine-producing country to be fruitfully engaged in the sale of other red wines.
I have long thought that Argentine Cabernet Franc and Bonardas, along with some of the red blends, can be more subtle and elegant on their own and with food. Although encouraging dozens of producers to embrace, produce and sell them certainly makes for a more complex marketing agenda than the current primarily one-grape focus.
The benefit of blends
Field blends continue to be challenging to market in Anglo countries. When I imported Portuguese wines 20 years ago I begged producers in Portugal's Douro Valley to give me an exact varietal breakdown of what was in their reds and they laughed. Then they asked me if I wanted them to outright lie on the label.
Americans have long wanted to know the exact components of their wines, as it seems many Argentines do as well. However, I remain a strong fan of blends – not only because they give winemakers more wiggle room to make the best wines possible from harvest to harvest – but because they can hit unique high notes from an estate or producer.
One of the better red blends I enjoyed on this trip was Paul Hobbs' blend 2021 Cocodrilo, which is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Its notes of black fruits and lush full body make it a great food wine. It sells for approximately $30 a bottle according to wine-searcher.com.
The land of Malbec
Argentina's grape growers and winemakers have long focused on promoting Malbec on the international stage. According to the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) SipSource data – which tracks aggregated distributor depletion data for wine across all 50 states – Malbecs represent 87 percent of all Argentine reds produced.
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