I started to get into Malbec around 2006, 2007 and was impressed with its smoothness and plushness. Malbec will always have a special place in my heart and palate, as it is the wine we drank at our wedding. There does seem to be a trend in Argentina, as in many places to be more site specific and show terroir, rather than just a wine making style. In August I was at the Taipei Fine Fair and towards the end of my visit I tasted some amazing higher altitude, aged Malbecs. Beautiful fruit purity, earthy, and savory; altogether different from entry level Malbecs from the lowlands. Catena Zapata is arguably one of the best Argentine Malbec wineries, hopefully I will come across them sooner rather than later.
I started out in wine with private label by subscription Malbec from Argentina that averages $50-$60 a bottle , but was offered a blended Malbec for $70 a bottle and it is by far and away the best wine that I personally have ever had the pleasure to drink CIELO ARRIBA 2018 & 2019 ! Admittedly , I am no wine expert , but I know what I like and paying that little extra was well worth every penny , it's only opened for the most special of occasions as I only now have 6 bottles remaining !
Everything from Catena Zapata is great! They have a lot of less expensive wines that are delicious. And not only from malbec. Cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and chardonnay are going very well in Argentina
Been from Rio , we have access to all wines from the catena family. Also from the other brands of the “children”, like Tikal, Luca, and from Adriana husband , el Enemigo ! And they make descent wines that cost less then 10 us and are not receipt wines . They are actually drinkable , which is rare in that price range .
Thanks Matt for another great video! If I am making Cassoulet, I insist on Cahors but now I am thinking I need to get my Gaucho on while reading Francis Mallman's Seven Fires! Mira Vosi!!
Malbec is the only grape I buy at any price and always enjoy it! I just love those notes, sometimes I smell it and it smells like jamon and I love it :) My go to with burger or pasta bolognese/lasagna
I just bought a bottle of Cahors 👍🏼 ~ I would’ve liked to have seen you mix in and blind taste a $50 bottle and a $100 bottle ~ to break up that 20X price spread
Argentina produces a lot of good wine indeed. They are widely available here in Brazil and many people only drink Argentinian Malbec exactly because they are well made, round, fruity and yet bold wines. I think other areas (as Patagonia and Salta) and other grape varieties (namely cab franc) also worth a tasting. Very good video!
The first Malbec I ever had was bone-dry, and I hated it. Months later, gave it another try, and was surprised at how much the varietal had improved! 😆 There's some great value to be found out there.
I’ve tasted the river stones and it’s worth the money! But visiting Argentina one can buy excellent wines with unbelievable prices ! In the range of 20 to 25 us it’s bananas ! salta , Patagonia , Mendoza , it’s really a paradise !
@@BSB1978 the one that caught my atention is chacra ! The current release is really great . Bodega chacra makes unbelievable fresh chardonnays and Pinots that are very delicate yet long . The barda , that is the basic Pinot , has a little bit of Brett , which don’t bother me at all , and it costs 20 us .
The Triv is amazing!! You don't need to go anywhere NEAR 200 bucks for a good wine let alone an excellent one. Fun fact most wine connoisseurs are more influenced by smells than taste. Another fun fact the BEST Malbecs in Argentina are NOT expensive!! And the ones hardly any Argentinian drinks are the most expensive. Go with what you like or end up applauding the Emporers New Clothes
Really enjoyable review Matt. Both sound great for all the reasons you describe and well done for the reminder of why some wines cost more than others. My WT issue this week is Robert Parker and his point system. The good Malbec gets 99 Parker points but it's reviewed by another person - Luis Gutierrez. On top of that it receives a whopping 99 points. In the whisky reviewing world a 99 point score would probably mean the best whisky of all time. 100 points is unobtainable because it suggests perfection. Is this Malbec a GOAT or are wine reviewers just becoming far too generous with scores? I think wine reviewers need to reign back on points in general. 92 points for the $10 Malbec? That kind of price/quality product in the whisky world would probably score a respectable 82 points. The $200 would probably be 92 points although it's available in the U.K for £95 so I'm considering. I'd like to see you talk about this point issue sometime. I really thing a lot of wine is getting an easy ride. Cheers. WT
Thanks for the well thought out comments as always. Usually I don’t get soooo excited about wines in this price point but my goodness was this good… As for wine scores, you might like this video: ruclips.net/video/cyLD6-RFBYo/видео.htmlsi=pWgCTq5pve--YdR8
Angelica Zapata Malbec Alta is one of my favourite affordable wines. It's under 30 a bottle here, less on deals.... and it's proper fine wine. Would happily pay double or triple and not feel robbed.
Also, on the subject of South America. Chile does some seriously great cabernet sauvignon at really good prices. If I had more sense id probably buy a lot more south American wine.
@@drmatthewhorkeyI'm drinking a bottle of the river Malbec tonight based on this video. Wow. You really have to search to find what I class as classic Malbec notes. If I had just a mouthful of this I would've guessed it was possibly a very expensive Margaux or a very nice napa cab from a higher altitude vineyard. At this price point frankly I think it's a bargain because you would struggle to find wine this good at this price in Bordeaux or napa.
A good one, thanks. Begging you to post a value blind of Cabernet Sauvignon of wine available in the US. I'm still searching for that unicorn. Thanks for all you share. cheers.
Good call. There's a lot of scope for that though. Jeez, I remember when Cab was blockbuster value stuff in the early 90's and very affordable. We all thought it was a mass bulk wine which tasted great. Seriously, you could get great Cab for under £20 a bottle.
Great video! Any recommendations on how long these high-end Malbecs take to be at peak? I was lucky enough to purchase a top Catena Zapata Adrianna Malbec (not this exact one) at a huge discount, and I'm wondering how long to hold on to it before popping the top. Thanks!
Here in the UK we have a lot of cheap Argentinian Malbecs around the £10 mark in our supermarkets, like the Trivento - personally I avoid most of them, as I feel they're very one-dimensional - not awful with food, but just not interesting at all.
I'm okay with oak...as long as it doesn't taste like I'm suckin on a tree branch when I'm drinking a glass. (I'm looking at YOU Buttercream Chardonnay!) EDIT- and I love Malbec. It was one of the wines that got me into the whole pairing wine with food thing. It happened to be a Malbec with grilled octopus.
I started to get into Malbec around 2006, 2007 and was impressed with its smoothness and plushness. Malbec will always have a special place in my heart and palate, as it is the wine we drank at our wedding. There does seem to be a trend in Argentina, as in many places to be more site specific and show terroir, rather than just a wine making style.
In August I was at the Taipei Fine Fair and towards the end of my visit I tasted some amazing higher altitude, aged Malbecs. Beautiful fruit purity, earthy, and savory; altogether different from entry level Malbecs from the lowlands. Catena Zapata is arguably one of the best Argentine Malbec wineries, hopefully I will come across them sooner rather than later.
I think that I want to get into Malbecs more too. Gotta get down to Argentina soon
I started out in wine with private label by subscription Malbec from Argentina that averages $50-$60 a bottle , but was offered a blended Malbec for $70 a bottle and it is by far and away the best wine that I personally have ever had the pleasure to drink CIELO ARRIBA 2018 & 2019 ! Admittedly , I am no wine expert , but I know what I like and paying that little extra was well worth every penny , it's only opened for the most special of occasions as I only now have 6 bottles remaining !
😮
Everything from Catena Zapata is great! They have a lot of less expensive wines that are delicious. And not only from malbec. Cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and chardonnay are going very well in Argentina
Yes they do a great job in their entire range...
Been from Rio , we have access to all wines from the catena family. Also from the other brands of the “children”, like Tikal, Luca, and from Adriana husband , el Enemigo ! And they make descent wines that cost less then 10 us and are not receipt wines . They are actually drinkable , which is rare in that price range .
I was with a Argentinian producer today and he said to me : “te regalan Los vinos en Argentina “. Which means they give the wines as a gift ! Lol !
@@gustavomgomes El Gran Enemigo 2019 received 100 points from both RP and JS. And it is made from cabernet franc.
I love Tikal and El enemigo wines.
2019 has been considered the best vintage ever in Mendoza. By the way, they are making awesome cab francs there too!
Ahhhhh thanks!
Dr Mathew I love watching you talk about wine! And how exciting to wait and wait and see the Adrianna Vineyard River revealed ❤❤❤❤
Thank you! I hope to make it down there sooner rather than later.
Thanks Matt for another great video! If I am making Cassoulet, I insist on Cahors but now I am thinking I need to get my Gaucho on while reading Francis Mallman's Seven Fires! Mira Vosi!!
Cahors and Cassoulet 🤤😋
Nice video, I really fell in love with Malbec when I was in Argentina. I would like to see you do a video/tasting on Alsace!
Thank you! maybe in the future!
Malbec is the only grape I buy at any price and always enjoy it! I just love those notes, sometimes I smell it and it smells like jamon and I love it :) My go to with burger or pasta bolognese/lasagna
Ahhh with a burger… great pairing!
I just bought a bottle of Cahors 👍🏼 ~ I would’ve liked to have seen you mix in and blind taste a $50 bottle and a $100 bottle ~ to break up that 20X price spread
You'll like this: ruclips.net/video/52BHuiRtwGg/видео.htmlsi=A1TIuyozMJazL_of
Argentina produces a lot of good wine indeed. They are widely available here in Brazil and many people only drink Argentinian Malbec exactly because they are well made, round, fruity and yet bold wines. I think other areas (as Patagonia and Salta) and other grape varieties (namely cab franc) also worth a tasting. Very good video!
Thank you! Yes the Cab Francs can be lovely too.
Gran Enemigo Cab. Franc from Mendoza. Yacochuya Malbec from Salta. Chacra Pinot Noir from Patagonia
@@MarianoGrande73 I also like the Colomé wines, from salta, and the Otronia wines from Patagonia
The first Malbec I ever had was bone-dry, and I hated it. Months later, gave it another try, and was surprised at how much the varietal had improved! 😆 There's some great value to be found out there.
You are right, some fabulous values to be had.
good luck finding them
I’ve tasted the river stones and it’s worth the money! But visiting Argentina one can buy excellent wines with unbelievable prices ! In the range of 20 to 25 us it’s bananas ! salta , Patagonia , Mendoza , it’s really a paradise !
I can't wait to make it down there, hopefully sooner rather than later.
A lot is being said about pinot noir in Patagônia.
@@drmatthewhorkey you won’t regret !
@@BSB1978 the one that caught my atention is chacra ! The current release is really great . Bodega chacra makes unbelievable fresh chardonnays and Pinots that are very delicate yet long . The barda , that is the basic Pinot , has a little bit of Brett , which don’t bother me at all , and it costs 20 us .
The Triv is amazing!! You don't need to go anywhere NEAR 200 bucks for a good wine let alone an excellent one. Fun fact most wine connoisseurs are more influenced by smells than taste. Another fun fact the BEST Malbecs in Argentina are NOT expensive!! And the ones hardly any Argentinian drinks are the most expensive. Go with what you like or end up applauding the Emporers New Clothes
There are excellent affordable Malbecs for sure!
Really enjoyable review Matt. Both sound great for all the reasons you describe and well done for the reminder of why some wines cost more than others. My WT issue this week is Robert Parker and his point system. The good Malbec gets 99 Parker points but it's reviewed by another person - Luis Gutierrez. On top of that it receives a whopping 99 points. In the whisky reviewing world a 99 point score would probably mean the best whisky of all time. 100 points is unobtainable because it suggests perfection. Is this Malbec a GOAT or are wine reviewers just becoming far too generous with scores? I think wine reviewers need to reign back on points in general. 92 points for the $10 Malbec? That kind of price/quality product in the whisky world would probably score a respectable 82 points. The $200 would probably be 92 points although it's available in the U.K for £95 so I'm considering. I'd like to see you talk about this point issue sometime. I really thing a lot of wine is getting an easy ride. Cheers. WT
Thanks for the well thought out comments as always. Usually I don’t get soooo excited about wines in this price point but my goodness was this good…
As for wine scores, you might like this video: ruclips.net/video/cyLD6-RFBYo/видео.htmlsi=pWgCTq5pve--YdR8
Angelica Zapata Malbec Alta is one of my favourite affordable wines. It's under 30 a bottle here, less on deals.... and it's proper fine wine. Would happily pay double or triple and not feel robbed.
Also, on the subject of South America. Chile does some seriously great cabernet sauvignon at really good prices. If I had more sense id probably buy a lot more south American wine.
I agree that it’s a stellar wine. I like the Alta Catena Malbec for the price too
@@drmatthewhorkeyI'm drinking a bottle of the river Malbec tonight based on this video. Wow. You really have to search to find what I class as classic Malbec notes. If I had just a mouthful of this I would've guessed it was possibly a very expensive Margaux or a very nice napa cab from a higher altitude vineyard. At this price point frankly I think it's a bargain because you would struggle to find wine this good at this price in Bordeaux or napa.
A good one, thanks. Begging you to post a value blind of Cabernet Sauvignon of wine available in the US. I'm still searching for that unicorn. Thanks for all you share. cheers.
I may just do that ;)
Good call. There's a lot of scope for that though. Jeez, I remember when Cab was blockbuster value stuff in the early 90's and very affordable. We all thought it was a mass bulk wine which tasted great. Seriously, you could get great Cab for under £20 a bottle.
Wine is Romantic and Amazing
Yesssah
Great video! Any recommendations on how long these high-end Malbecs take to be at peak? I was lucky enough to purchase a top Catena Zapata Adrianna Malbec (not this exact one) at a huge discount, and I'm wondering how long to hold on to it before popping the top. Thanks!
I prefer to enjoy the fruitiness of Malbec on the younger side… These have enough fruit on them to be interesting after 10 years or so I’m guessing
Here in the UK we have a lot of cheap Argentinian Malbecs around the £10 mark in our supermarkets, like the Trivento - personally I avoid most of them, as I feel they're very one-dimensional - not awful with food, but just not interesting at all.
This was solid but not exceptional for sure
I'm with you on that. There's good stuff out there though and it's usually in independent wine retailers.
Like their wines but haven’t tried this bottle, just curious , have you tried the gran enemigo’s Cabernet franc ?
I have!
@@drmatthewhorkeyhow did you like it ? I haven’t tried it yet, I have only tried their el enemigo, the entry level one
I prefer my Cab Franc more leafy and Loire styled
I'm okay with oak...as long as it doesn't taste like I'm suckin on a tree branch when I'm drinking a glass. (I'm looking at YOU Buttercream Chardonnay!) EDIT- and I love Malbec. It was one of the wines that got me into the whole pairing wine with food thing. It happened to be a Malbec with grilled octopus.
When well integrated it's fantastic... Ohhhh Malbec and grilled octo sounds great!
Any idea how much that Adriana bottle would cost in Argentina?
I think about the same, most of it goes to America I think
I got the river '19 in Germany today for 148,50€...thats like 160$
Another Malbec for 16€ wich I saw in China was 39$
The GENIUS of Alejandro Vigil.
He does great work there for sure
oak intergration !!!!! well said!
🙏🙏🍷
i hate wine
:O
Why?
I am just cutting alcohol out of my life
Ajajajaja 😂😂😂 ahora sí perdió toda credibilidad en su comentario, trivento es un asco de vino argentino
Ok