If Mendoza, Argentina, isn’t the perfect place to grow grapes, I’m not sure what is. Less than one per cent organic matter in the soil ensures naturally low yields, while dry weather and complete control over the amount of water used in the vineyard means the production of high-quality grapes is as much about attitude as it is altitude.
The juicy, suave Malbec grape, which creates red wine, is the star of the region, but white wine is on the move, too, as it becomes fresher, less-oaked and much fruitier in style. Having reached many of the vineyards of Mendoza and further north in Salta, Argentine Chardonnay has a bright future easily supported by the cooler, high-altitude vineyards.
The better news is Mendoza Chardonnay is extremely food-friendly, and in many ways, is becoming the New World’s Burgundy. Lean and lively, with fine acidity, it is a style many producers around the world are gravitating towards.
Today, one of the best is made by the folks at Nicolas Catena. The Catena Chardonnay ($19) is simply delicious, eschewing oak and vanilla for bright, tropical citrus fruit flecked with pear and mineral bits. It is a terrific shellfish wine that reminds me of some of the best Sonoma Coast labels. If Chardonnay is on track, you can add Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Pinot Gris to a list of white grapes with growing potential.
The hands-down bargain has to be the Jacques et François Lurton Pinot Gris ($14). Pinot Gris/Grigio in Argentina makes sense, given the Italians in Mendoza, even if it’s made by the French connection Jacques and François Lurton. Plenty of mineral and nectarine aromas mark its super-crisp palate, calling for oysters, clams or sushi. As much as these whites have piqued our interest, it’s the reds of Argentina that have consumers in a frenzy. If Argentina is to push its way onto the world wine stage, it must play to its strength, and that means mostly red wines and primarily those made from the Malbec grape.
The origins of Malbec lie in southwestern France, where it is grown in Cahors and Bordeaux, but those wines have little to do with what’s coming out of Argentina. In short, Malbec is the warm and friendly heart of Argentine wine. It also has the potential to become the country’s signature varietal; think Shiraz and Australia, Zinfandel and California, Carmenère and Chile, or Pinotage and South Africa.
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