The World Cup final was truly thrilling, even for a soccer non-fan like me. Though I was torn over which team to cheer for, I’m ready to celebrate Argentina’s win with – what else – a good bottle of Argentine malbec.
For such a celebration, there are many pricey bottles you might consider. But if you’re looking for something a little more affordable, I’d suggest this $20 bottle from Terrazas de los Andes, founded in the Mendoza area in the mid-1990s. The label says “High Altitude Vineyards,” which in this case means around 3,600 feet. At that elevation, the vineyards are more heavily influenced by the cool air from the Andes, which provides freshness to the wines.
The 2020 Malbec Reserva is structured and fresh, with flavors of dark berry, anise and a hint of baking spice, and it finishes with firm tannins. If you’re willing to spend more, Terrazas offers the 2019 Gran Malbec ($60), which has more concentration and tannins that are bit more polished and refined.
Thanks for the recommendation Laurie! Your writing is so good, I wish we could see it more often. As you know, most newspapers don’t cover wine anymore, so most “writers” are bloggers. They don’t have the same ease with language, flow, cadence and turn of a phrase as you, a professional writer/journalist, do.