WE'RE ON THE second leg of our South American wine adventure. Less than an hour's hop by plane over the snow-capped Andes, we drop to the eastern side of this stunning range into the heart of Argentina's wine country, Mendoza, which has 70 per cent of the land's vineyards.
Recently elevated to the ranks of one of the world's great wine capitals alongside Florence, Bordeaux and San Francisco, Mendoza is finally being recognised as quality wine country. There's an ornamental vineyard at the city's airport, a bustling e
nergy along its tree-lined streets and the wineries are heaving with tourists.
It's hotter than Chile, and feels humid, the sky often threatening showers. But the greatest risk is hail, particularly in eastern Mendoza, away from the foothills, where vineyards are netted to protect them from golf ball-sized hailstones that can ruin a harvest.
Our first stop is Agrelo, Mendoza's best wine area, now teeming with famous names: Norton, Dominio del Plata, Cheval des Andes and Fabre Montmayou. I have always considered Catena the country's best, but some of its wines disappoint.
"We changed our basic Catena style to be less oaky and more minerally," says winemaker Alejandro Vigil. It is not the only winery to aim for less chunky ripe fruit, which we expect from Argentina; it works better for Chardonnay than Malbec. But Catena's top wine, Nicolas Zapata, from super-ripe Cabernet, is stunning.
Our next stop, Terrazas de los Andes, owned by LVMH, has a new winemaker from Krug. A joint venture with Pierre Lurton of Chateau Cheval Blanc, we expect great things. But the wines are still young, tannic and closed, bar an easy-quaffing Malbec.
Next day we head south up to 1,700 metres, to pioneer country in the Uco Valley. "Uco is famous for Argentina's best cherries, plums and walnuts," says Lurton's Santiago Bernal. "In 1995, we started with 200 hectares of virgin land; people told us it was too high to plant grapes." Land prices were 50 per hectare; now they are over 1,500. Lurton's delicious Pinot Grigio/Tocai blend was voted the best Argentine white we tasted on our trip.
The Dutch-owned Salentein next door is impressive, with a circular bodega and swish art gallery. Its style is not full-blown fruit, but savoury flavours – the Tupungato Malbec and Pinot Noir are very attractive, showing promise.
Finally we head east to Mendoza's largest area. The Zuccardi winery is Argentina's most welcoming and its wine range the best value and most consistent.
Taste TestRed under £10
ZUCCARDI Q CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2005(£9.99, Waitrose)
Juicy, lip-smacking blackfruits. 16/20
NORTON BARBERA 2006(£4.99, Waitrose)
Unoaked cherry/damson fruits, breezy. 15/20
TERRAZAS MALBEC 2006(£6.75, Great Grog, Edinburgh, 0131-662 4777)
Forward, fresh, easy drinking; soft, smooth. 15/20
VISTALBA CORTE C 2005(£6.99, The Fine Wine Co, Musselburgh, 0131-665 0088)
Herby, savoury, characterful Malbec blend. 15.5/20
Red over £10
PULENTA ESTATE MALBEC 2005(£13, WoodWinters, Bridge of Allan, 01786 834894)
Dense, bold, rich, luscious, velvet, silky. 16.5/20
GRAN LURTON 2004(£12, Ava Wines, Bangor, 02891 465490)
Stylish, restrained Bordeaux blend. 16/20
ALTA VISTA GRAN RESERVE MALBEC 2004(£10.95, The Wine Society, 01438 741177)
Dense inky savoury blackcurranty Malbec. 15.5/20
PULENTA ESTATE GRAN CORTE(£17.95, Berry Bros & Rudd, London, 0207 396 9600)
Five-grape blend; soft, silky, complex. 16.5/20
CATENA ALTA MALBEC 2004(£25 a bottle or £20 each for two, Majestic Wine)
Chunky, gutsy. 16.5/20
NICOLAS CATENA ZAPATA 2004(£40, Great Grog)
Argentina's best?; Cedary, elegant, impressive. 17/20
The best Argentine deals this weekendRed
SALENTEIN WINEMAKER'S SELECTION 2006(£5.33, reduced from £7.49, Tesco)
Ripe and luscious blackfruit, softened with short oak ageing.
Red
PULENTA LA FLOR MALBEC 2006(£7.25, WoodWinters, Bridge of Allan, 01786 834894)
This delivers ripe, pure blackfruit. A juicy, soft glugger to enjoy.
Sweet
ZUCCARDI LATE HARVEST TORRONTES TARDIO 2007(£6.99 a half bottle, Oddbins)
Aromatic, creamy, honeyed, sweet/sour finish: well done Zuccardi.
The full article contains 687 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
