I ask if Argentina is the New Spain because I remember four or five years ago when Spanish wines were very popular and becoming everyone's go-to wines that offered exceptional quality for their modest price tags. In today's wine world, Spain has kind of taken a backseat, and it seems I get asked more and more about wines from Argentina. In particular, it's the Malbecs from this great region that have become the new go-to wines for value seekers.
One wine in particular that recently caught my eye comes from one of the top producers in Argentina, Achaval Ferrer. Achaval has been producing world-class wines since 1998 and is owned by a group of Argentinian and Italian friends. It has attracted the attention of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, which had this to say: "...Achaval-Ferrer is already established as one of Argentina's benchmark wineries?"
It's located in the foothills of the Andes, in the province of Mendoza. The region's desert climate is ideal for the development of Malbec, primarily and other red varieties. They produce five different wines, which range in price from as little as $17.99 for their entry level Malbec up to the $90 range for their single vineyards. Which the single vineyards usually receive great scores from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and are still relative bargains for the high scores they receive.
It was their entry level Malbec that I recently had the chance to enjoy, and I was blown away by the quality for the affordable price tag - $17.99. It had a nose of Asian spice, hints of smoke, black cherry and plum. In the mouth, it was smooth-textured and had excellent depth and secondary nuances that led to a long finish. Also, it went great with my medium rare T-bone steak! With 92 points from Wine Spectator, it's an amazing wine and value. We still have a little bit left in stock, so I recommend checking it out soon if you are interested. At this price, it won't last long!
We also have two of their single vineyards in stock as well: Achaval Ferrer Malbec Finca Mirador and Achaval Ferrer Malbec Finca Bella Vista. These high-scoring wines, 96 points and 98 points, respectively, are must-try wines for Malbec lovers.