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.
In curating this year’s Top 100 Wines of Argentina list, we prioritized quality, value for money, each wine’s “wow” factor and general market availability. With a production of around 400 cases and a retail price slightly over $100, the Los Amantes 2021 exemplifies a site-specific philosophy without being a niche, overpriced offering.
Sourced from a young, single parcel of just one hectare within the larger 54-hectare Jardin Altamira vineyard, of which 30 hectares are planted to vines, the wine benefits from the work of Chilean soil specialist Pedro Parra and consulting winemaker and co-founder Alberto Antonini.
It is crafted to capture the essence of the limestone gravel – with a thin layer of silty, sandy topsoil – it grows on. Parra has identified this site as one of five “grand crus” within the Jardín Altamira vineyard, and he used a holistic approach in making the wine, following biodynamic principles. Fermentation occurred in concrete vats using native yeasts and incorporating about 15 to 20 percent whole clusters, with aging in 3,500-liter casks, allowing minimal oak influence. The result is a uniquely mineral-driven, sensitive and elegant malbec, characterized by pixelated purity and precision, with vibrant red fruit notes, less flesh and dissolved chalky tannins.
Similar site-specific uniqueness and identity can also be seen in our No. 2 Argentine wine, the Catena Zapata Chardonnay Mendoza Adrianna Vineyard White Bones 2022, one of our favorite whites from South America and emblematic of Argentina’s growing prowess in producing world-class chardonnays.
While Burgundy remains the benchmark for great chardonnays, comparing the White Bones to any particular Burgundian classic would not do it justice. Hailing from a 2.2-hectare parcel perched at 1,450 meters altitude on calcareous soils rich in powderized marine fossils, it is a more perfumed and spicier expression than its sibling wine, the equally exciting but a little less aromatic and characterful White Stones.
The winemaking process behind the two wines is similar, but the White Bones tend to stand out as the more idiosyncratic and captivating with its floral perfume notes, coupled with a dash of spearmint and exotic spices. These notes become even more apparent and decipherable in the cool 2022 vintage, which winemaker Alejandro Vigil described as “rollercoaster-like” although also “the best he has lived through.” From our tastings, we feel Argentina’s 2022 vintage is less homogeneous than 2021, but the top wines from 2022 easily rival the best from 2021.
Our No. 7 wine this year, the Chacra Chardonnay Patagonia 2023, is another exciting chardonnay made by the respected Burgundy winemaker Jean-Marc Roulot. It came from a very challenging year in Patagonia’s Rio Negro region. For Piero Incisa della Rocchetta, the owner of Chacra, 2023 was almost “surreal,” as it was a very small vintage marked by a devastating frost that resulted in a huge loss of 70 percent of the white grapes and 60 percent of the red grapes.
However, the drastic reduction in quantity from the biodynamically farmed vineyards ultimately delivered extremely high quality, resulting in this case in a chardonnay that’s austere, refined and strikingly pure and bright on the palate with incisive minerality and a sense of “compressed” precision. Chacra has another notable appearance on this list, with its old-vine Pinot Noir Patagonia Treinta y Dos 2023 in 12th place.
Chardonnay may dominate the 14 white wines featured on this list, but rising interest in old-vine semillons and chenin blanc highlights the growing diversity of Argentine whites. Two great-value expressions can be found on this list – El Enemigo Chenin Mendoza 2022 (No. 18) and Bodega Norton’s Semillon Valle de Uco Altura 2022 (No. 45) – while Susana Balbo’s Torrontés Paraje Altamira Torrontés de Raíz Naranjo Signature Limited Edition 2022 (No. 55) is the only bottle from the orange wine category on the list.
In fourth place, the Estancia Uspallata Malbec Mendoza 2022 showcases one of Mendoza’s most extreme vineyards, set at 1,900 meters above sea level. The wine reflects its environment through engagingly fresh, herbal and peppery notes and flavors. Winemaker Alejandro Sejanovich believes that the gastronomic quality of a wine can best be captured through a holistic winemaking approach – featuring minimal intervention, cofermentation and the use of a high percentage of whole clusters, as it is here.
The top 10 wines on our Argentina list are also representative of some of the country’s newer and more extreme vineyards, especially from the exceptional 2021 vintage – a cool year that accentuated finesse, freshness and elegance. The ultra-fine, pure and peppery Matias Riccitelli Malbec Los Chacayes Valle de Uco 2021 (No. 3) is a stunning interpretation from vineyards sitting above 1,500 meters in Los Chacayes, and incorporating about 30 percent whole bunches. The deep Zuccardi Malbec Gualtallary Finca Las Cerrilladas 2021 (No. 6) is a remarkable mountain wine from a young vineyard in the Jaboncillo hills in Gualtallary, blending 30 small parcels to best capture the essence of the site.
The other top entries from 2021 include El Enemigo’s Cabernet Franc El Cepillo Mendoza Gran Enemigo Single Vineyard 2021 (No. 5) and the Trapiche Malbec Cabernet Franc Mendoza Iscay 2021 (No. 9), underscoring the growing significance of cabernet franc in Mendoza. Winemaker Marcelo Belmonte of Trapiche describes this blend as “a modern Mendoza classic,” noting how the fleshier, fruit-forward malbec pairs beautifully with the linearity of cabernet franc.
Also worthy of mention is the No. 8 wine, the complex and graceful Cheval des Andes Mendoza 2021, which represents the other classic blend in Mendoza based on cabernet sauvignon and malbec, where the former adds structure and verticality to the rounder, meatier malbec.
Rounding out the Top 10 is the expensive, silky and plush Viña Cobos Malbec Mendoza Cobos 2021. It comes from a meticulous selection of grapes primarily sourced from Viña Cobos’ Chanares and Hobbs Estate. This complex and opulent malbec boasts glossy black fruit with extremely polished, velvety tannins and a high level of freshness and tension that mark the vintage, making it a sensory delight for those seeking a more vinous malbec experience.
As you explore this year’s selections, be prepared to discover a rich tapestry of terroirs and unique identities that illustrate an evolving wine landscape that centers around malbec but goes far beyond it. The diverse array of styles not only caters to varied palates but also invites wine lovers to enjoy high-quality wines at mostly affordable prices.
– Zekun Shuai, Senior Editor
Note: The list of wines below is comprised of bottles tasted and rated in 2024 by the tasters at JamesSuckling.com. You can sort the wines by vintage, score and alphabetically by winery name. You can also search for specific wines in the search bar.
