Around Argentina in Six Bottles

On my latest visit to Argentina just last year, writes James Tanner, I came back with the sense that Argentina is now a mature wine-producing country, with plenty of ambitious winemakers goading each other to do better. They’re pushing into exciting new areas, identifying top sites in established regions – like the Uco Valley, for example – while also looking beyond Malbec (great though it is) to a wider variety of grape types. In this Mixed Six, we focus on just two producers.

Gouguenheim is a fairly small operation, located on the way to Mendoza, within the Uco Valley. Patricio Gouguenheim, an international businessman and great supporter of his wines through Tanners, sadly passed away last year. Well before that, he brought his sons Gonzalo and Santiago into the business, and Santiago’s wife, Maggie, is also now on board. Together, they’re doing great work. They have 95 ha of vines and a practical, no-frills winery where they produce excellent wines, such as their Pinot Noir, aromatic Torrontés and Malbec fizz – a pink, fruity Prosecco alternative.

In Luján de Cuyo, on the famous Route 40 entering Mendoza, is Don Cristóbal, founded by another businessman – this time from the oil industry – Eduardo Lapania. Now 82, Eduardo has been a regular visitor to Shrewsbury over the years. His son, Cristóbal, left economics and banking to run the estate. We tasted with Diego Medina, head winemaker, and Noelia Verdejo, oenologist, and witnessed their pride in producing Tanners Malbec. This is a great source of both red and white wines across the spectrum. Alongside Malbec, they do a particularly good Bonarda, another red variety that is unique to Argentina and a ripe Chardonnay.