Crash Course on Argentine Wine

            Clearly there are two major categories to be treated separately when attending a wine tasting: reds and whites. Major white wines in Argentina and across the world include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling, while major reds include Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Malbec. Very generally, whites are much lighter and served chilled and in a thinner glass with no part wider than at the brim. Such a stemware structure works to maintain the low temperature. Argentina is principally known for its rich reds and namely the Malbec grape varietal. Reds are more full bodied and rich, have a plethora of aromas, and are served closer to room temperature. The stemware used for reds at a wine tasting is wide and more bowl-shaped. Wine is served up to the widest point to help the aromas and the oxidation process.

            Specifically looking at rich Argentine red wines, namely Cabernets and Malbecs which you would most definitely encounter at any Buenos Aires tasting, you first want to check out specific colors and opacity. Malbecs tend to be the darkest and most opaque and even often having a purple tint. Again it depends, however. Look for specific shades of red, degrees of translucence, and bits of sediment which could be floating. When smelling reds in wine tastings you want to try to avoid any alcohol smells. Rich Malbec wine can traditionally conjure hints of plum, berry, oak, and leather. It can help to keep this in mind when smelling and tasting to see what stands out the most. Other common scents in both Malbecs and Cabernets include vanilla, flowers, cinnamon, pepper and even citrus. Smell is impeccably important in differentiating wine. Finally, typical taste points for an Argentine Malbec are dry, earthy, high acidity, and big in flavor and tannins. In other words, look for a long flavorful finish which sticks around in your mouth. The drying feature of a wine is a testament to its richness and its high tannin level. Such a sensation more or less typical to a Malbec signifies lower residual sugar levels. Look for some of these characteristics when doing wine tastings in Argentina and use them to differentiate across varietals and more specifically between bottles of the same varietal.