Argentine wine: Andean altitude in the glass
137 flessen, van € 9,40 tot € 330, mediaan € 28People 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.
Het hart van het wijngebiedValle 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.
Van € 10,50 tot € 330Luján 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.
Bakermat van de malbecSalta en Cafayate
Het uiterste noordwesten en zijn Valles Calchaquíes, waar de wijnstok tot boven 3.000 meter klimt. Bloemige torrontés en dikke rode wijnen, geboren onder een felle zon.
De hoogste wijngaardenPatagonië
Het grote wijnzuiden, van de 39e tot de 45e breedtegraad: Neuquén, Río Negro en Chubut. Constante wind, korte zomers, oude malbecs en fijne pinot noirs.
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.
De koningsdruifTorrontés
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.
Vanaf € 10,90Minder dan € 20
Het schap van onderop: malbecs van het domein, witte wijnen uit Mendoza, enkele bonardas. Veel van deze referenties gaan per set, genoeg om een doos te vullen zonder je te ruïneren.
Vanaf € 9,40
Van Mendoza tot het diepe zuiden: wat hoogte verandert
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.
| Streek | Waar ze ligt en wat voor klimaat er heerst | Druiven die er gedijen | What it means in the glass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mendozade moederprovincie | 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 Ucode best gevulde zone | Het hoogste van Mendoza, 1.000 tot 1.600 meter, koude nachten, keienbodems. | Malbec, pinot noir, chardonnay, cabernet franc | Tension and clean fruit, from €10.50 to the most expensive bottles in the section. |
| Luján de Cuyobakermat van de malbec | De eerste afgebakende zone van het land, 900 tot 1.100 meter, veel oude stokken. | Vooral malbec, cabernet sauvignon | Ronder en warmer dan de Uco, van € 9,90 tot € 59,90. |
| Salta and the Valles Calchaquíesde hoogst gelegen wijngaarden | Uiterste noordwesten, van 1.700 tot meer dan 3.000 meter, brandende zon en ijzige nachten. | Torrontés, malbec, tannat | Very aromatic floral whites, thick, deeply coloured reds, from €14.50 to €79. |
| PatagoniëNeuquén, Río Negro, Chubut | Much lower in altitude but from the 39th to the 45th parallel south, with constant wind. | Pinot noir, oude 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.
| De wijn | What it brings to the glass | Waar je hem bij schenkt |
|---|---|---|
| Malbecde pijler van dit schap | Pruim en viooltje, fluwelen tannine, dichte kleur, gulle alcohol. | Gegrild rundvlees, lam, halfharde kazen. |
| Cabernet sauvignonde serieuze bijrol | Zwarte bes, tabaksblad, rechtlijnige en wat strenge tannine. | Entrecote, gebraden lamsbout, gegrilde groenten. |
| Cabernet franc de stap omhoog | Framboos, rijpe paprika, uitgesproken zuren, ranke mond. | Wit vlees, gevulde paprika's, fijne charcuterie. |
| Pinot noirde handtekening van het zuiden | Kers, onderhout, fijne tannine; de Patagonische stijl overheerst. | Eend, paddenstoelen, vette vis. |
| Bonarda | Juicy black fruit, discreet tannins, to drink young. | Stoofgerechten, pizza, gegrilde worst. |
| Chardonnayvan hoogte of van de 45e breedtegraad | Strakke citrus, zilte mond, meestal discreet hout. | Gevogelte in roomsaus, schaaldieren, zachte kazen. |
| Torrontésde signatuurwitte | Neus van roos en muskaat, droge en levendige mond. | Aperitief, pittige keuken, witte vis met citroen. |
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.
Wie tekent voor deze flessen, en in welke prijsklasse
Two houses dominate the section: Matías 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.
Het formaat vóór de prijs
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.
Het team van Le Baroudeur du Vin
What people ask us about Argentine wines
Met welke Argentijnse wijn begin je?
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.
Lijkt Argentijnse malbec op die uit 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.
Wat is 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.
Kun je één enkele fles kopen?
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.
Bewaren deze wijnen lang?
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 of Patagonië, wat is het verschil?
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.