This Experimental Malbec Style Is Becoming a Hot Trend in Argentina

Argentine Malbec is evolving. Lighter, leaner, unoaked Malbec wines with fresh red- and black-fruit aromas, higher acidity and mineral characteristics are increasingly popular. The style shift is a result of some winemakers’ search for the true expression of the grape and terroir.

To achieve this new style of Malbec, Argentine winemakers focus on the time of harvest, climate and soil type, among other factors, with a tendency toward a low-intervention approach overall.

In the Vineyards

“We know that a good wine is born in the vineyards,” says Raúl Dávalos Rubio, CEO at Bodega Tacuil.

The winery is in the Calchaquí Valleys, Argentina’s northern wine region, located at 7,874–8,858 feet above sea level. Since the 1980s, Rubio’s father has advocated for producing wines without oak contact to allow the fruit to express itself. He is considered a pioneer in this movement, and Raúl continues his legacy.

Managing a vineyard at that elevation, with high sunlight exposure and wide daily thermal amplitude, or diurnal temperature swings, is not easy.

“It is important for us to harvest when the grapes reach the right level of ripeness,” says Rubio. “Since we don’t use oak barrels, we need the tannins to be matured enough.”

Overripening is something that every winemaker wants to avoid. At the same time, it is crucial to evaluate the maturity of the skin and seeds.

Read full article at Wine Enthusiast.