A fabulous fruit-driven party, Mendoza’s National Grape Harvest Festival at the beginning of March sees 200,000 people gather in the streets to watch the parade of floats, music, dancers, winegrowers and pretty contestants hoping to be crowned Queen.
When you consider how excellent its wines are, it’s hardly surprising Argentina’s sun-kissed fruit takes centre stage and the gods are thanked for the grapes that have been harvested.
Along with the many faces of malbec, this South American country has plenty to offer, with top-notch chardonnays and fragrant torrontes that also flourish alongside its ripe reds in vineyards planted at high altitude.
To discover your inner gaucho, here’s our parade of the country’s top tipples…
THE QUEEN’S WHITE WAY
- Kaiken Terroir Series Torrontes 2015, Salta, Argentina (£8.95, www.slurp.co.uk)
This floral-edged white is from Cafayate, a mountainous region in the north west (average altitude 1,600 metres) that’s cited as one of the best places for growing torrontes, the country’s signature white grape. Flowing with zesty orange, lemon and tropical fruits underpinned with fresh aromatics and blessed with bracing acidity, it’s vivacious and fresh.
- Mendel Mendoza Semillon 2014, Argentina (£10.95, www.thewinesociety.com)
This is a dry semillon made from vines at least 60 years old and shows great purity of fruit and minerality. Fresh and round with a silky palate, the pear, lemon and lime flavours framed by greengage are enhanced by part barrel ageing for added complexity. There’s refreshing acidity and herbal notes on the long finish.
- Pulenta Estate Chardonnay 2013, Mendoza, Argentina (£11.95, www.bbr.com)
A great choice if you like a creamy style of chard with enough depth to be interesting, but not ultra rich. Refreshingly lively with peach, pear, lemon-citrus notes, a hint of honeysuckle and just a whisper of oak, it ’s an easy-to-enjoy style for a delicious aperitif that also pairs well with mild cheeses and shellfish.
THE CAROUSEL
- Diversity of Terroir Malbec 2014, Mendoza, Argentina (currently £5.75 from £6.98, now until June 2, Asda)
A perfect party wine for bargain hunters, this smooth and fruity malbec has plenty of vibrant black fruit aromas and the generous fruit driven palate of cherries, strawberries, damsons and fine tannins on the cushion soft finish make it a real crowd pleaser; and a safe bet with steak.
- Vinalta Malbec 2015, Mendoza, Argentina (£8, Marks & Spencer)
Love at first sip, this deeply flavoured malbec under M&S’ own label is a wine to swoon over. It opens up with delightful scented notes of violets which leads to voluptuous plummy fruits laced with spice, and the brightness and freshness on the finish will appeal to red wine lovers fond of an unoaked style.
- Condor Peak Mendoza Shiraz Malbec 2015, Argentina (£7.99, www.virginwines.co.uk)
Deftly blended, there’s a lovely ripeness to the violet-scented, deeply flavoured fruit which speaks with a French accent. Warm and juicy with layers of plum, cherry, raspberry, cassis, black pepper and spice, the soft tannins, balanced acidity and an abv of 12.5% make this a perfect lunchtime red that’s going for a song.
- Graffigna Centario Malbec, San Juan, Argentina (£9.99, Bargain Booze)
Tall, dark and handsome, this is a broad-shouldered red that shouldn’t be rushed, tempting as it is. The bouquet of morello cherries, violets and forest fruits is followed by a concentrated palate of plums, blackberry, sweet spice and warm oak on the velvety smooth finish. A rewarding glass to unwind with at the end of the day.