Six of our best-rated wines from Argentina, including three 100-point and three 99-point bottles.
Argentina has become one of the world’s most exciting wine countries. The energy of the winemakers and viticulturalists here has been on an exponential learning curve over recent years, and some are producing mind-blowing bottles of mineral and dynamic wines that are vibrant and solid with texture and structure.
Every so often I like to delve into the database and see how certain countries have scored over the years. We have more than 6,000 wines from Argentina rated on JamesSuckling.com, nearly 2,000 were tasted and rated this year alone. And nearly 5,000 of those score 90 points or above. Nearly 500 score 95 points or above and 66 score an exceptional 98 points or above.
Of those that score 95 or above, none is older than the 2000 vintage. Of those that score 98 or above, none is older than the 2010 vintage, and, amazingly, of the 18 wines that score 99 or 100, every vintage since and including 2010 is represented at least once, except the 2018.
If any data show how production and knowledge has improved in recent years, that, I think, is it.
I have been rating wines from Argentina for many years, and I believe there has never been a better time to be making and drinking wines from this region than now. Yes, weak and insipid wines continue to come through as the country grapples with its role as a mass supplier of cheap product. But wines like Catena Zapata Malbec Mendoza Adrianna Vineyard River Stones and Cheval des Andes Mendoza, both from the 2017 vintage, both tasted this year and both rated 100 points, show what is possible if you put in the time and effort.
Below is a list of the very best wines I have rated over the years from Argentina, many of them holding some great memories.
– James Suckling, CEO/Editor
Next week: Our top-rated Chilean wines to date.
To taste some of the best wines from Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, check out our Great Wines of the Andes events. Next up is the USA, touring San Francisco, Chicago, New York City and Miami from September 29-October 4. Click here for info.
