From Patagonia to the Andes: Aires marks Malbec Day with a wine tasting

Some of the world’s best wines come out of Argentina – but it wasn’t always that way. It all began in 1853, when then-president Domingo Faustino Sarmiento set out to modernise the country’s winemaking. He tasked agronomist Michel Aimé Pouget with introducing new European grape varieties, including Malbec. Thanks to the unique conditions of the Mendoza region, the grape thrived, eventually becoming a defining symbol of Argentine wine.

To mark Malbec World Day, Argentine restaurant Aires, in Estoril, is hosting a wine-led (and, naturally, food-friendly) experience on April 17 that promises a journey through some of the country’s most emblematic terroirs. It’s a chance to taste different expressions of the same grape side by side – and get a real sense of the diversity that defines Argentine Malbec.

The tasting, titled The Malbec Route, unfolds across three glasses, each representing a different region. It starts in Patagonia, a cooler climate where Malbec shows up with elegance and freshness, red fruit, lively acidity and soft tannins. Next stop: the Uco Valley, in Mendoza, sitting between 1,000 and 1,500 metres above sea level and known for structured wines with floral notes, minerality and depth. The journey ends in the Calchaquí Valleys, one of the highest wine regions in the world, where Malbec turns richer and more intense, with ripe black fruit, spice and firmer tannins.

On the food side, Aires Estoril will be serving its usual menu, rooted in Argentine tradition and the ritual of the asado, with prime cuts and pairing suggestions for those opting for the full Malbec tasting.

Places are limited, so booking ahead is a good idea. For more information, visit the website or call 934 453 242.

Avenida São Pedro, 8/8A 2765-445 Monte Estoril (Estoril). 93 445 3242. Apr 17 (Fri). 18.30-00.00. 20€ (without food)