Browse by Country - Argentina

Until recently Argentina produced more wine than any other New World country. America's output has since overtaken it, but Argentina remains probably the most important wine-producing country in South America. Its potential is yet to be fully realised, but Chile no longer dominates the market as it did a decade or so ago. A great deal of the wine made is for domestic consumption and is pretty rustic and of low quality compared to some of the superb examples we see in the UK.
The economic climate of the country over the last century or so has dictated what progress and setbacks the wine industry has experienced. In boom years the industry prospered but the problems caused by economic depression meant that foreign investment declined and the industry suffered. In contrast to most other wine drinking nations, the amount consumed per head is actually declining. It is this decline that has prompted the country's better producers to improve the overall quality of their wines in order to exploit the export market, without which it would struggle to survive. Probably the most significant development in Argentina is the care now taken in the vineyards. Previously it was considered that as long as the grapes ripened the skills practised in winemaking (as opposed to vine growing) were enough to produce decent wine. In the 1990s this skill was expanded to include viticulture, and the importance of Argentina as a major player has increased to the point where some truly outstanding wines are produced. Although some decent wine was produced in the past a scant regard for thinning and reducing crops restricted the industry's progress on what was becoming a booming world market. Much more care is taken over suitability of sites for certain grape varieties, vines are maintained properly, irrigation is extensively used as the average temperature is higher than in many wine-growing countries, and the quality of materials used, such as rootstocks, fertilisers and oak, is much better than two decades ago.
A large percentage of wine grapes grown in Argentina are domestic varieties: Criolla and Cereza. These are white wine grapes and although plantings are extensive their popularity is on the wane as better quality grapes become more fashionable, and export markets beckon for those willing to upgrade to internationally renowned varieties.
It was Spanish settlers who first planted Vitis Vinifera vines in Argentina in the sixteenth century, although early plantings were of somewhat inferior grape varieties compared to those around today. Attempts at irrigation made winemaking possible, and the industry was reasonably healthy. The key event which led to the industry's development was the rail link between Buenos Aires and Mendoza in the mid nineteenth century. As more settlers arrived the expanding wine industry embraced new methods of vine growing and wine making, with the newly imported European grape varieties establishing themselves into the market. The ever-growing Argentine wine industry was founded and its value in world wine markets has never been healthier. Classic grape varieties make up a hefty percentage of wine made in Argentina; Malbec has found a particular niche in such a way that the phrase 'Argentinean Malbec' is one commonly heard in wine shops and tasting rooms across the globe.
Vineyards stretch along the backbone of the Andes Mountains with Mendoza the most important region (responsible for over 80% of Argentina's wine production), but other areas of importance are La Rioja and Rio Negro.
Search Results

Argentina :: Mendoza
Bonarda, Malbec
Body: d - Medium to Full
Ready to drink
Mendoza's long, warm days and cool nights bring out the best in these grapes, which thrive in the mountains.
Delightful expression of huge brambly Malbec. The nose offers an appealing, mixed spice, bramble fruit bomb followed by dark, damson and savoury overtones on the palate. The finish is smooth, rounded and nicely balanced.
75.0CL
In Stock

Argentina :: Mendoza
Bonarda, Malbec
Body: d - Medium to Full
Ready to drink
No myth or legend here. Instead, a real big beast of a wine from the Mendoza Valley, Argentina. Deep, brooding and dark. Big fruit, big spice, big flavours.
75.0CL
In Stock

Argentina
Riesling, Torrontes
Sweetness: 4 - Off Dry
Ready to drink
20% OFF!
Was £15.50, NOW £12.40
All the Amalaya wines are fruit driven in style, with a finesse that unites them. The trophy winning Torrontes/Riesling is silky on the palate, refreshing and bursting with aromas of citrus, blossom and grapefruit.
75.0CL
In Stock

Argentina :: Mendoza
Pedro Ximenez
Sweetness: 2 - Dry
Ready to drink
Lots of juicy-ripe citrus fruit, yes, but also lifted herbaceous notes, dried flowers and summer straw. This lovely little wine is more like an Albariño than a run-of-the-mill Pinot Grigio, with lots to get stuck into, great balance and structure and an excellent finish
75.0CL
Only 1 left

Argentina :: Mendoza
Chardonnay
Sweetness: 2 - Dry
Ready to drink
20% OFF!
Was £16.99, NOW £13.59
This excellent Chardonnay (unoaked of course, as are all the Serbal wines) has quickly gained a reputation in the trade as a go-to wine sitting above entry level but not breaking any banks. It shows considerable elegance, varietal character and poise for a wine at this price level, perhaps elucidating the French bias in this winery.
75.0CL
In Stock

Argentina :: Mendoza
Malbec
Body: d - Medium to Full
Ready to drink
20% OFF!
Was £16.99, NOW £13.59
Wonderful purity of fruit here. Luscious and soft, dark plummy fruit with layers of damson. Unoaked with a simple appealing freshness.
75.0CL
In Stock

Argentina :: Mendoza
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon
Body: d - Medium to Full
Ready to drink
20% OFF!
Was £16.99, NOW £13.59
From Finca Mangato vines in El Paral, Tupungato at 1,200 metres above sea level, planted on shallow sandy-loam soils, this delicious blend bears testament to Estela’s eye for detail and insistence on absolute precision. A blend of 70% Cabernet Franc with 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Intriguingly, 70% of the Cab Sauv parcel is co-fermented with the Cab Franc, and the remaining 30% of Cab Sauv is aged for 9 months in second use French oak. Still with us? There is a very strong sense here that nothing is left to chance and the results are fabulous. The nose screams neither varietal on its own but, rather, offers up an holistic approach to blending as can be seen in Estela’s other wines. The effect is harmonious throughout from notes of hibiscus flowers and spice on the nose through to plump cassis and juicy redcurrant in the mouth. A superbly crafted blend representing fantastic value for money.
75.0CL
In Stock

Argentina :: Mendoza
Criolla Grande
Ready to drink
Pale pink with a delightfully fruity, floral nose and a refreshing summer fruit pudding palate, this is simplicity itself and is all the better for it. Made from Criolla Grande (the larger berried, thiner-skinned relative of Criolla Chica) and part of our burgeoning enthusiasm for this lesser-known family of varietals. Thank you, Mauricio Lorca, lovely job!
75.0CL
Only 6 left

Argentina :: Mendoza
Malbec
Body: c - Medium
Ready to drink
Everything you could ever want from an entry-level Malbec, and more!
75.0CL
In Stock

Argentina :: Mendoza
Bonarda
Body: d - Medium to Full
Ready to drink
Brand new in from Mauricio Lorca – a perfect example, showing that Argentina has much more to offer than Malbec. This 100% Bonarda from Vista Flores in Mendoza has an abundance of fresh red fruit character; cherry, raspberry, redcurrant and cranberry. Along with good structure, soft tannins and a long finish, this is another classic entry into our Recoleta range.
Wonderfully delicious on its own, but pairs really well with lean meats, red meats and dishes with creamy sauces.
75.0CL
In Stock

Argentina :: Mendoza
Cabernet Franc
Body: c - Medium
Ready to drink
Classic Cab Franc notes of fresh capsicum and pencil shavings on the nose, fresh and clean on the palate with delicious red berry fruits.
75.0CL
In Stock

Argentina
Malbec
Ready to drink
Dark and inky in the glass as one would expect, with charming notes of wild cherry, plum and blackberry on the nose. In the mouth the structure is tidy and precise with perfectly integrated tannins and a delicious, long finish reminiscent of those same dark fruits.
75.0CL
In Stock

Argentina
Malbec
Body: d - Medium to Full
Ready to drink
Inviting smoke and spice on the nose is complemented by redcurrants and ripe, lush cherries. Everything you could want in a malbec; plum jam, tobacco, dark chocolate and vanilla come together in this medium to full bodied wine with a long lasting finish.
75.0CL
Out of stock

Argentina :: Mendoza
Malbec
Body: d - Medium to Full
Ready to drink
Outstanding Malbec due to the ideal combination of grapes from the best areas of Mendoza. The diversity of vineyards and different climatic conditions in Agrelo, Tupungato and La Consulta brings about a greater complexity of aromas and add an exceptional fruit concentration. 8 months in oak with an exceptional concentration of fruit.
75.0CL
Out of stock

Argentina :: Rio Negro
Pinot Noir
Body: a - Light
Ready to drink
Ripe red summer fruits and forest floor notes; light, fresh and juicy on the palate. It's from Patagonia, of course, widely regarded as the country's best source of Pinot.
75.0CL
In Stock

Argentina
Cabernet Sauvignon
Deep ruby red with purple hues, clean and brilliant. Intense aromas of varietal typicity that disclose black fruit and cherries and soft notes of eucalyptus, pepper and toast. Soft and friendly on the palate with balanced, soft and ripe tannins. Herbacious in the end showing again some eucalyptus notes. Medium to long length.
75.0CL
Only 2 left

Argentina :: Mendoza
Cabernet Sauvignon
Body: e - Full
Drink now, but will keep
Deep, inky-ruby colour with lovely lifted notes of fresh mint, sweet spice and blackcurrant jam on the nose. This is a seamlessly integrated, full-bodied wine demonstrating intelligent use of oak (7 months for 50% of the wine) and showing again just how good this part of the Uco Valley is for Cabernet. It's a blend of 2 separate lots from 3 different harvest dates. One lot with 5 days cold maceration; the second with 20 days post fermentation. A delightful, highly aromatic Cabernet.
75.0CL
Out of stock

Argentina :: Mendoza
Torrontes
Sweetness: 3 - Soft Dry
Drink now, but will keep
After several years of experimentation with varying toast levels and various barrel producers, Susana Balbo has created a Torrontés that takes this varietal into a whole new sphere of influence. The exuberant floral and fruity notes that we know and love have become delicately muted and are complemented with the most ethereal and subtle oak influences. Although still distinctly Torrontés, this actually noses a little like a great Viognier, dare we say it something akin to Condrieu from a very good vintage?
75.0CL
In Stock

Argentina :: Mendoza :: Uco Valley
Grenache/Garnacha
Body: b - Light to Medium
Ready to drink
Pale in colour, as you’d expect from a wine with no skin contact during fermentation. A lovely attack of wild raspberries on the nose. Wonderful fresh acidity on the palate along with more of that juicy burst of red fruits. A wine full of delicious tension and poise which, like all these amazing wines, has an unbelievably long finish. 50% of the wine is aged on the lees in concrete eggs for 6 months; 50% in 3rd use French oak casks of 225 litres, followed by 8 months in bottle.
75.0CL
Only 3 left

Argentina :: Mendoza
Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah/Shiraz
Body: d - Medium to Full
Drink now, but will keep
Syrah is one of Mauricio Lorca's favourite grape varieties; he loves its fickle nature, the bold influence it can bring to a blend and, most of all, the song it sings flying solo. This delicious Syrah packs a big, spicy, chocolate-infused punch in its youth but after a few years in bottle, as here, it mellows into a most sultry and complex wine, a delight if you fancy an askew take on the northern Rhône.
95% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
75.0CL
Out of stock

Argentina
Malbec
Body: e - Full
Drink now, but will keep
Produced in tiny quantities this wine is layered with heady notes of violet, plum, red currant, and chocolate. It is silky smooth and bursts onto the palate with a bounty of ultra ripe dark fruits and wild herbs. Its location at such an altitude ensures the wine is ultra fresh with racy acidity to hold this glorious wine together.
75.0CL
In Stock

Argentina :: Mendoza
Malbec
Body: e - Full
Drink now, but will keep
Aromas of red mature fruit combined with touches of vanilla and chocolate. Smooth in the mouthfeel, balanced, with velvety and sweet tannins
75.0CL
Out of stock

Argentina :: Mendoza
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot
Body: e - Full
Drink now, but will keep
In each of the three ranges from this winery - Serbal, Catalpa and Atamisque - there is a blend, an assemblage. Catalpa Assemblage is comprised of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec in varying proportions depending on the vintage. 60% of this wine is aged for 12 months in new French oak barrels, 40% in stainless steel prior to blending and a further 6 months in bottle prior to release. Crafted in a fairly extravagant style this is a lovely, plump, velvet textured delight with clever use of oak in evidence, capable of developing very nicely for 8 - 10 years.
75.0CL
Only 8 left

Argentina :: Mendoza
Malbec
Body: d - Medium to Full
Drink now, but will keep
From grapes grown at the family’s Finca La Encerrada vineyard in the Uco Valley where sandy, calcareous soils are known to imbue the wine with a subtle mineral complexity, this superb Malbec represents something of a stylistic bridge in terms of the Benegas story past and present. The power and concentration that we have always associated with this great old producer are there in spades, but so too is a new level of elegance and poise, with a deft touch of carefully balanced oak (12 months in new French) and a freshness which is simply joyous. Malbec has come a long way in the last 10 – 15 years and no wine tells the story better than this.
75.0CL
Only 3 left

Argentina
Pinot Noir
Ready to drink
On the nose, bounteous wild red fruits and the unmistakable whiff of forest floor; in the mouth silky tannins and fresh juicy fruit with a long finish. This is definitely New World Pinot Noir approaching its South American best and sees Argentina taking a seat at the top table.
75.0CL
In Stock