The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?
From across Argentina and Chile to the southwest of France, these are the bottles to indulge in
Argentinian malbec is one of the great wine success stories of the past 25 years. The wine is loved by consumers for its juicy, plush, slightly tannic, full-bodied black fruit flavours, as well as for its fresh drinkability and suitability for a wide variety of foods – particularly with steak and other red meats.
It is also generally reliable in quality from year to year and offers good value for money. This was not always the case, though: malbec was once one of the key French grapes, widely grown for use in Bordeaux blends, with cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc.
But crops were devastated by frost in 1956 and claret producers never quite fell in love with malbec again, although it continues to be popular elsewhere in southwest France – where it is also known as Cot and can produce quite heavy, tannic wines.
In Argentina, where a slightly different variety of the grape was first introduced by European immigrants in the nineteenth century, malbec was never particularly celebrated until interest suddenly blossomed in the late twentieth entury when it was realised that the grape could make superior wines, particularly when grown at altitude, which gives a distinctive and appealing freshness to the flavours.
Although Argentinian malbec still dominates, great malbecs are now being made in Chile and New Zealand, and rose malbec is becoming increasingly popular.
Read more:
We tried a range of malbecs from different producers and countries, and tasted them with a variety of food pairings – not only steak but also seasonal casseroles, rich vegetable dishes and cheeses.
We were looking for value for money and a range of distinctive flavours, including: plummy, brambly-with-perhaps-a-hint-of-chocolate, hints of cassis, spice, liquorice and pepper, together with a certain freshness and vibrancy on the palate. And we certainly found it…
The remarkable consistency of quality and value for money in malbec shines through in this selection of wines – and many others we tasted. There were very few duds.
While the top-level Argentine wines deservedly reign supreme, there are strong showings from Chile and New Zealand, as well as from the grapes’ original home in France. And while certainly malbec is mostly celebrated for perfectly accompanying steak and other red meats, these wines are suitable for a wide variety of foods: from rich vegetable dishes to cheese of all types.
This selection also offers diversity for different occasions – from the forthcoming Christmas parties to wines for very special occasions – but for all-round quality and a sensational choice for your winter dinner party or special occasion, the ‘Catena Alta’ Historic Rows malbec 2017 from the legendary Catena label is our best malbec for 2021.
For the latest discounts on wine and other alcoholic drinks, try the links below:
There’s no need to leave the comfort of your couch when it comes to wine shopping, a new bottle is only a click away with our edit of the best online wine shops