Don't cry for me, Argentina

Phil Lo
Apr 16
3 min read

I recently returned from a wine tour in Argentina. I am very excited to report a new age of wines is dawning in Argentina. But let me begin with my story with Argentinian wines over the last two decades or more.

Since the late 1980s I have been looking for a good Malbec from Argentina but had never found one. I finally gave up in the late 1990s. I started the search because I read that Malbec was one of the red grapes allowed in Bordeaux and was used quite extensively in older vintages there, but somehow had fallen out of favour and even almost disappeared in Bordeaux in the late 20th century. Since Malbec is the calling card grape from Argentina, I started my search there. But during my two-decade search, I never found one I like. I found the Argentine wines in that era lack finesse. They were big, muscular, rustic and not much more.

Then came our trip to the Antarctica in January 2024. We had to embark the expedition cruise from Argentina. We planned then to spend ten-plus days to tour different parts of Argentina prior to the cruise. But we did not plan to go to Mendoza as I had already given up on Argentinian wines by that time.

Then that first night in Buenos Aires, in a very unpretentious restaurant, I asked for a mid-priced red wine with our dinner and did I have my epiphany! I was blown away with that bottle of Malbec (it was a bottle from El Enemigo). I kicked myself for not allowing time to visit Mendoza on that trip. Back in Calgary later in 2024 we found out that Peggy with Vinfluence was leading a tour to Mendoza in March 2025. We signed up without hesitation.

On this trip, we tasted some very fine wines and visited many top Argentinian vineyards and wineries. We visited Luigi Bosca, Salentein, Susanna Balbo, Mendel, Catena Zapata, Zorzal and Weinert. With the exception of Weinert, which has been making Bordeaux style wines and exported everything outside of Argentina to Europe, all the other wineries have basically the same message: they all said that Argentinian wines can be better; and they all want to improve on their wines and not make wines of the previous generations. This generation of younger wine makers are all investigating, trying new things, and experimenting with European techniques. They are placing their vineyards at very high altitudes of close to 1,000 meters all the way up to over 1600 meters in the Uco Valley, where the Andes provide backdrop of microclimates for producing great vine grapes with superior quality for fine wine making. They all have the philosophy that great wines start in the vineyard. And they all know that they are helped by mother nature. Mendoza, and Uco Valley especially, has lots of sunshine during the day. The cool nights at high altitude help the grapes to develop smaller berries and thicker skin. Fine recipe for quality wines. The lack of rainfall is more than compensated for by melted run-off from the glaciers above on the mountains. Argentina also has very few pests and most of their vines are on original root stock. But it is their enthusiasm about where they can take their wines to, and the quality of their wines now, which make me excited. I now think Argentinian wines have a great future. The Bordelaise and the Italians better keep an eye on these Argentinians!

I also found out that other than Malbec, these vineyards are also producing very high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah. Many of them made exceptional single grape wines and blends which can stand up to the best from the old world.

Also worth mentioning is the white wines with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and the indigenous grape Torrentes. Some of these wines can be quite pricey. But then the quality is up there compared to their European counterparts.

I must mention, we did taste some quality bargains at reasonable and competitive prices for everyday consumption.