Argentine wine: Andean altitude in the glass
132 bouteilles, de 9,40 € à 330 €, médiane à 28 €People often come here looking for a fleshy, reasonably priced Malbec. This section offers some, but above all it tells another story: a vineyard that climbs. From 600 metres in the Andean piedmont to over 3,000 metres in the north-west, the vines gain in freshness what the sun gives them in power, and the wines gain an acidity that carries their substance.
Mendoza supplies most of the choice, Salta the most aromatic whites and Patagonia the finest reds. The tables below will help you find your way.
Riglos - Gran Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
A high-altitude Cabernet Sauvignon, powerful and precise, revealing the freshness and depth of the Gualtallary terroir.
Ways into the section
Mendoza
The province that supplies most of the selection, from entry-level plain wines to the high parcels of Uco. A single Andean piedmont, irrigated by snowmelt.
Le cœur du vignobleValle de Uco
The best-stocked area in the section, and the highest in Mendoza. Cold nights, pebbly soils, taut wines, from entry-level Malbecs to the most expensive bottles.
De 10,50 € à 330 €Luján de Cuyo
The country's first delimited area, planted with old Malbec vines between 900 and 1,100 metres. Rounder, warmer reds than those of the Valle de Uco.
Berceau du malbecSalta et Cafayate
L'extrême nord-ouest et ses Valles Calchaquíes, où la vigne monte au-delà de 3 000 mètres. Torrontés floraux et rouges épais nés sous un soleil violent.
Le vignoble le plus hautPatagonie
Le grand sud viticole, du 39e au 45e parallèle : Neuquén, Río Negro et Chubut. Vent permanent, étés courts, vieux malbecs et pinots noirs fins.
Neuquén, Río Negro, ChubutMalbec
The red that made the country's reputation: plum, violet, velvety tannins. About half of the Argentine selection, in every style and price bracket.
Le cépage roiTorrontés
Dry despite its scent of rose and lychee, it almost always comes from the heights of Salta. A white for aperitifs and spicy food, to be served well chilled.
À partir de 10,90 €Moins de 20 €
Le rayon vu par le bas : malbecs de domaine, blancs de Mendoza, quelques bonardas. Beaucoup de ces références se vendent par lot, de quoi remplir une caisse sans se ruiner.
À partir de 9,40 €
De Mendoza au grand sud, ce que change l'altitude
Altitude is the common thread of Argentine winemaking. Higher up, the vines receive more intense radiation, which thickens the skins and deepens the colour, and colder nights, which preserve acidity. At the same latitude, a few hundred metres of elevation change a wine more than a change of grape variety.
| Région | Où c'est et ce qu'il y fait | Cépages qui s'y plaisent | What it means in the glass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mendozala province mère | Andean piedmont between 800 and 1,500 metres, a desert irrigated by snowmelt. | Malbec, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay | The bulk of the choice, from everyday wine under €10 to single-parcel cuvées. |
| Valle de Ucola zone la mieux fournie | Le plus haut de Mendoza, 1 000 à 1 600 mètres, nuits froides, sols de galets. | Malbec, pinot noir, chardonnay, cabernet franc | Tension and clean fruit, from €10.50 to the most expensive bottles in the section. |
| Luján de Cuyoberceau du malbec | Première zone délimitée du pays, 900 à 1 100 mètres, beaucoup de vieilles vignes. | Malbec surtout, cabernet sauvignon | Plus rond et plus chaleureux que l'Uco, de 9,90 € à 59,90 €. |
| Salta and the Valles Calchaquíesle vignoble le plus élevé | Extrême nord-ouest, 1 700 à plus de 3 000 mètres, soleil brûlant et nuits glacées. | Torrontés, malbec, tannat | Very aromatic floral whites, thick, deeply coloured reds, from €14.50 to €79. |
| PatagonieNeuquén, Río Negro, Chubut | Much lower in altitude but from the 39th to the 45th parallel south, with constant wind. | Pinot noir, vieux malbec, chardonnay | The finest reds in the country, rarely under €16.50. |
Region is not among the filters on this page, which cover colour, price, format and producer. The pages in the first column take their place.
What each grape variety needs on the plate
The Argentine reflex is the asado: meat grilled over a wood fire, salt, nothing else. The country's reds suit it well because altitude leaves them acidity beneath the flesh. But our selection goes further than the grill.
| Le vin | What it brings to the glass | Sur quoi le servir |
|---|---|---|
| Malbecle pilier du rayon | Prune et violette, tanin velouté, couleur dense, degré généreux. | Bœuf grillé, agneau, fromages à pâte pressée. |
| Cabernet sauvignonle second rôle sérieux | Cassis, feuille de tabac, tanin droit et un peu strict. | Entrecôte, gigot rôti, légumes grillés. |
| Cabernet franc la montée en gamme | Framboise, poivron mûr, acidité marquée, bouche élancée. | Viandes blanches, poivrons farcis, charcuterie fine. |
| Pinot noirla signature du sud | Cerise, sous-bois, tanin fin ; le style patagonique domine. | Canard, champignons, poissons gras. |
| Bonarda | Juicy black fruit, discreet tannins, to drink young. | Plats mijotés, pizza, saucisses grillées. |
| Chardonnayd'altitude ou du 45e parallèle | Agrumes tendus, bouche saline, boisé le plus souvent discret. | Volaille à la crème, crustacés, fromages à pâte molle. |
| Torrontésle blanc signature | Nez de rose et de muscat, bouche sèche et vive. | Apéritif, cuisine épicée, poisson blanc au citron. |
Serve the reds at around 16 °C: any warmer and the alcohol takes over from the fruit. The whites show best at around 10 °C, slightly less cold for barrel-aged Chardonnays.
Qui signe ces bouteilles, et à quel niveau de prix
Two houses dominate the section: Matias Riccitelli, who works Mendoza as much as the old Malbec of Río Negro, and Doña Paula, whose range runs from entry-level wines up to parcels in Uco. Next come Atamisque and Bousquet in Uco, El Porvenir in Salta, Caelum in Luján de Cuyo, Malma in Neuquén and Otronia, on the 45th parallel south. All of them feature on our estates page.
The top comes down to a handful of bottles: the Adrianna parcel cuvées from Catena Zapata, including Mundus Bacillus Terrae at €286, and Domaine Nico's Le Paradis Pinot Noir at €330. Between these extremes and the €9.40 at the entry level, the median is €28.
Le format avant le prix
Only a minority of wines can be bought by the single bottle: most of the section is sold in lots of 2, lots of 3 or cases of 6, with two magnums for large gatherings. The price shown follows the chosen format, so it does not always correspond to a single bottle. The selector on the product page shows what is actually available.
L'équipe du Baroudeur du Vin
What people ask us about Argentine wines
Par quel vin argentin commencer ?
A Mendoza Malbec at €15–25 gives the measure of the country: ripe black fruit, supple tannins and enough freshness to stand up to a barbecue. For a white, choose a Torrontés from Salta, dry despite its floral nose. These two bottles are enough to grasp the gap between the north and the Andean piedmont.
Why is altitude always mentioned when talking about Argentina?
Because the vineyards range from 600 metres to over 3,000 metres in the Valles Calchaquíes, a span unique on this scale. At altitude, the radiation thickens the skins and concentrates the colour, while the cold nights preserve acidity. Hence powerful wines that remain easy to drink, with a lively backbone beneath the flesh.
Le malbec argentin ressemble-t-il à celui de Cahors ?
No. The grape does indeed come from South-West France, but the Andean sun and the temperature range between day and night give it riper fruit, more velvety tannins and a deeper colour. Cahors remains more austere, more marked by limestone. Argentine Malbec is also drunk younger.
Qu'est-ce que le torrontés ?
It is the country's emblematic white, born of a cross between Muscat of Alexandria and Criolla Chica. The nose suggests rose and lychee, but the palate stays dry and fresh, especially when the vines grow high up, around Cafayate. Torrontés is served chilled, as an aperitif or with spicy food.
Peut-on acheter une seule bouteille ?
Only for some of the wines. Most of the selection is sold in lots of 2, lots of 3 or cases of 6, and a few cuvées are also available in magnum. The format selector on the product page shows what is available and at what price. Check it before confirming your basket.
What budget should you allow for a good Malbec?
The median for the section is €28 a bottle, and entry-level prices start at €9.40. Between €15 and €25, you will find well-made estate Malbecs, whether barrel-aged or not. Above €50, you are paying for specific parcels, old vines and low yields.
Ces vins se gardent-ils longtemps ?
The entry-level wines are drunk within three to five years; that is what they are made for. Single-parcel Malbecs, high-altitude Cabernet Francs and Catena Zapata's great Chardonnays last ten years and sometimes longer. Each product page gives an ageing window, which is more reliable than a general rule.
Mendoza ou Patagonie, quelle différence ?
Are there organic wines in this selection?
Yes. Several estates in this section are certified, including Otronia in Chubut, El Porvenir in the Valles Calchaquíes, Malma in Neuquén and E's Vino in Mendoza. The dry, windy climate of the Andes limits vine diseases: organic farming is simpler there than in Europe.