Argentine wine key to ‘meat-and-greet’ joy of community

An alchemy takes place when a region’s food and wine find themselves so simpatico that somehow it feels indecent to order one without the other.

The fattened lambs of northern Spain are at their best when partnering a glass of local Rioja. The bright acidity of a Loire Valley sauvignon blanc sings in combination with a goat’s cheese made down the road.

In Argentina, the ritual of the asado is far more than a barbecue – it’s social communion, families and neighbourhoods brought together by a plate of slowly grilled meat in one hand and a glass of malbec in the other.

The pairing of beef from the flat grasslands in the centre of the country and the bold reds from up in the foothills of the Andes isn’t a cliche so much as a national celebration.

At a point in the year when gathering around a fire is an essential ritual of the season, the quartet of Argentine reds in this week’s special offer case from The Australian Wine Club is particularly timely.

Three are malbecs but set apart by fascinating regional differences: HJ Fabre’s 2023 Patagonia Malbec (RRP $40) scored 93 points from highly respected British Master of Wine Tim Atkin; a 2020 Parcela Selecta Malbec (RRP $42) offers a superbly balanced drinking experience, while The Holdings 2024 Malbec (RRP $28) comes from a lauded bodega in the Mendoza region.

Add to that another Mendoza standout, the Reservado Cabernet Franc, also from HJ Fabre, plus a case discount of 36 per cent, and the temptation to host an asado is growing by the minute.

“Every time I go there it’s all about asado,” says Leo Bassano, The Australian Wine Club’s Argentinian authority, who is perpetually on the hunt for Argentine vintages worth having.

“Asado is much more than a way of cooking meat. Every region has its own cuts and a special way of seasoning the meat, but it’s all about the fire and a couple of drinks, and then hours and hours of just chatting and eating.

“There is a glass of malbec all the time, of course, because it’s the best match.”

The funny thing is that Argentines knew the value in that match for generations but most of the rest of the world had little idea, at least until some 30 years ago.

“In the 1990s, everything changed for Argentina as a wine country,” Bassano says. “Back then Argentina was not on the worldwide map for wine, basically was not on the radar.

“There were stories of companies trying to pull out the malbec vines from the ground and they were trying to get famous consultants from around the world to grow chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon because they wanted to get into the international markets.

“Everything changed in the 1990s with winemakers from Europe who actually went there, they started consulting, they started investing and they completely changed the course of Argentina, especially with malbec.”

Parcela Selecta Malbec 2020

Glinting an inkily dark purple in the glass, this offers dark red fruits on the nose with a wash of mocha, vanilla and spice. From the first sip there’s a lovely texture and weight, superb balance and silky smooth tannins that would marry happily with the sort of slow-grilled meat described above. Dried herbs and aniseed provide the undertow and a lick of acidity keeps it super fresh. 14% alc, RRP $42 a bottle.

SPECIALS $33.99 in any dozen, $23.99 in our Argentine dozen.

HJ Fabre Reservado Cabernet Franc 2023

An increasingly interesting varietal in Argentina’s canon, this iteration has an almost perfumed nose. Awash with floral notes, rose petals, cedar and turned earth, there’s also flashes of vanilla and tobacco. The palate, though, is all about red fruits held in firm, rounded tannins with just a hint of cedar and spice. Also great with food but delicious any which way. 93 points, Descorchados Wine Guide. 14% alc, RRP $40 a bottle.

SPECIALS $32.99 in any dozen, $23.99 in our Argentine dozen.

HJ Fabre Barrel Selection Patagonia Malbec 2023

For a perfect contrast, try this Fabre stablemate offering a nose flecked with plum, graphite, vanilla and just a hint of dried herbs, especially tarragon. On the tongue there’s a beautiful velvety texture – full-bodied and smooth with a polished quality and lovely freshness. The flavours of ripe, spicy plums and blueberry are concentrated, with a little espresso on the finish. 93 points, Descorchados Wine Guide. 14.5% alc, RRP $40 a bottle.

SPECIALS $32.99 in any dozen, $23.99 in our Argentine dozen.

The Holdings Malbec 2024

The macerated strawberries, plum and hints of lavender on the nose tell you this is designed to please, and the soft, medium-bodied palate underlines its appeal. There’s more plum and strawberry in the mouth, vanilla, spice and a few smoky notes to add a savoury edge. The length is pleasingly long thanks to silky, soft tannins. 13% alc, RRP $28.

SPECIALS $19.99 in any dozen, $23.99 in our Argentine dozen.

ARGENTINE DOZEN Three bottles of each wine above for $23.99 a bottle. SAVE $162.