World Malbec Day: 10 must-try labels to celebrate

When it was first released in 2014, Concreto stirred things up with its complete lack of oak influence and the use of concrete for a high-end Malbec. Over time, that innovation has become a way of expressing, without filters, the texture of the calcareous soils of the Uco Valley. To achieve this, the stoniest, most limestone-rich parcels are selected, and whole clusters are vinified, as was done traditionally.

Despite the spring frosts of 2022, the 2023 vintage delivers a wine of great purity and transparency, with marked acidity and a broad aromatic palette, earning it a place in the 2026 edition of the World’s Best Sommeliers’ Selection. A striking purple in color, it shows mineral, herbal, and forest fruit notes like blueberries and blackberries. Fresh, long, and fluid on the palate.

Score: 94 Parker, 93 Vinous and Wine Spectator.

Where: Paraje Altamira and Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza ($$$)

The entry-level wine from Bodega Noemía, led by the now-legendary Danish winemaker Hans Vinding-Diers, this red is 90% Malbec, 9% Merlot, and 1% Cabernet Franc, sourced from growers in Mainqué, Río Negro. A win-win: it produces one of the best Patagonian Malbecs while preserving the heritage of old vineyards at risk of being uprooted.

Aged 15% in used French oak barrels and 85% in stainless steel tanks for eight months, it offers notes of cherry, raspberry, fennel, and soft spices. Medium-bodied, with firm tannins, it is juicy with a fleshy core and a very expressive fruity finish.

Score: 93 Tim Atkin, 92 James Suckling.

Where: Mainqué, Río Negro ($$$)

Barreal, in San Juan’s Calingasta Valley, is known for having some of the clearest skies on the planet—ideal for stargazing. In recent years, it has also become one of the fastest-growing wine regions. From agroecological vineyards in Sorocayense and heritage pergolas in Hilario comes this red blend of 70% Malbec and 30% Corbeau Noir.

Spontaneously fermented with native yeasts in concrete vessels (unfiltered, with no added enzymes or nutrients), then aged in cement and later in bottle, it results in just 2,340 bottles. A delicate, sharp, floral Malbec with herbal notes. A small batch by today’s standards, but significant within the project. Creator Simón Tornello named it after a historic route used by muleteers heading to the Andes.

Score: Silver Medal at Cata San Juan 2024 (approx. 89–91 points).

Where: Barreal, Calingasta Valley, San Juan ($$$$$)

The delicacy of Altamira combined with the wild side of Gualtallary results in this 100% Malbec from calcareous terroirs, with a limited production of around 8,000 bottles. One of the standout wines of Tutú—the project by Aldo Graziani, Miguel Rep, and Leandro Velázquez—it enters austere on the nose and palate but reveals an intense, persistent finish. Acidity drives the wine: long, tense, direct, with character, juiciness, persistence, and balance.

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Minimal intervention is key, allowing gravity to guide the process. The starting point: soils composed of 70% stone, covered in calcium carbonate. Fermented with indigenous yeasts in concrete eggs (10% whole clusters), and aged in the same vessels.

Score: 92 Decanter, 93 Adega.

Where: Paraje Altamira and Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza ($$)

Pine, eucalyptus, and tart fruit on the nose, velvety on the palate. Alpamanta’s most prestigious Malbec—by Austrian Andrej Razumovsky and Swiss André Hoffmann—comes from an organic and biodynamic vineyard. It is fermented with native yeasts in small vessels to avoid pumps, includes a small percentage of hand-selected stems, and is aged 12 months in 500-liter French oak barrels. Bottled without fining, stabilizing, or filtering.

The vineyard sits at 950 meters above sea level in Ugarteche (Luján de Cuyo), benefiting from strong temperature variation and pure Andean water. This privileged origin and careful approach earned it the title of Best Organic, Sustainable, and Biodynamic Malbec in Argentina in 2024 by Vinómanos.

Score: 94 Vinous, 96 Vinómanos, 97 Descorchados.

Where: Ugarteche, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza ($$$$)

“A timeless wine of symphonic balance that should effortlessly offer more than two decades of drinking pleasure”: that’s how The Wine Advocate justified awarding 100 Parker points to the third vintage of this spicy, deep, and persistent wine (95% Malbec, 5% Semillón).

Created by Alejandro Vigil, it comes from calcareous soils in Cordón El Cepillo, southern Uco Valley, specifically a 1.7-hectare ungrafted parcel. Fermented in concrete with 30% whole clusters, macerated for 23 days, and aged 64 months in a 100-year-old Italian foudre.

The result is deeply expressive, built around a core of black fruit, with layers of violet, fresh herbs, and dried spices like licorice.

Score: 100 Parker.

Where: Cordón El Cepillo, San Carlos, Mendoza ($$$$$)

This Malbec comes from the vineyard that gives it its name—an oasis in the desert, on the slopes of the Sierra de Quilmes, at 1,850 meters above sea level. Grapes are irrigated by gravity using meltwater and harvested by hand, with double selection for precision.

From such a unique place comes an atypical Malbec: mineral and herbal notes, juicy palate, good acidity, firm tannins, and a persistent finish. The winery approach is low-intervention, with aging on lees for several months and no sulfites until after winter, enhancing texture and depth without sacrificing freshness.

Score: 97 Tim Atkin, 96 Descorchados, 93 James Suckling.

Where: Cafayate, Salta ($$$$$)

On the nose: plum, cherry, violets, and a hint of lavender. On the palate: tea-like texture, juicy, refreshing, elegant. It finishes with balanced tannins that intensify with air. This Malbec from Per Se—by acclaimed winemakers David Bonomi and Edy Del Popolo—is produced in limited quantities (under 9,000 bottles) but leaves a lasting impression.

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It comes from the original vineyard of the Monasterio del Cristo Orante in Gualtallary, grown on sandy, calcareous soils with low yields. Fully destemmed, fermented in small concrete vats at low temperatures with gentle foot treading, then aged 12 months before bottling without fining or filtration.

Score: 94 Descorchados.

Where: Gualtallary, Uco Valley, Mendoza ($$$$)

Deep, structured, and shaped by altitude, this Malbec—born under the intense sun of the Tropic of Capricorn—reflects the stony soils of Huacalera at 2,700 meters above sea level. Once a key stop on the route to Upper Peru, today it’s an emerging, unconventional wine region.

Located in the Quebrada de Humahuaca, the Los Faldeos vineyard benefits from ideal temperature variation. The Manzur family arrived here from Lebanon in 1925, but only the third generation turned to viticulture, advised by Matías Michelini.

Score: 94.5 Fabricio Portelli.

Where: Huacalera, Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy ($$$$)

With the signature of Roberto de la Mota (Winemaker of the Year in the 2026 Descorchados guide), this Malbec highlights the tradition of Luján de Cuyo, Argentina’s first Denomination of Controlled Origin. From a historic vineyard in Perdriel, it is aged 14 months in French oak barrels.

On the nose: intense and precise red and black fruit, violets, spices, and a hint of licorice. On the palate: full-bodied, with mature, firm yet silky tannins and marked acidity.

Above all, it’s a wine built on a clear idea: not breadth, but length. A Malbec that lingers on the palate, layered and defined, showcasing the historic potential of Luján de Cuyo in a contemporary key.

Score: 96 Descorchados.

Where: Perdriel, Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza ($$$$$)

Named Best Value Red of 2025 by British critic Tim Atkin, this Malbec comes from century-old vineyards in Mendoza: Los Carolinos (1927) and Los Maitenes (1915), located in Agrelo and Lunlunta. Dry summers, warm sunny days, and cool nights contribute to high aromatic concentration.

Medium intensity, with plum and blackberry aromas and subtle spice notes, it’s elegant and balanced—ideal with red meats, hard cheeses, stews, and tomato-based pasta.

Fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged six months in large French oak vats (2,500–5,000 liters), it remains a faithful expression of the López style.

Score: 91 Tim Atkin.

Where: Agrelo (Luján de Cuyo) and Lunlunta (Maipú), Mendoza ($)