Malbec recommendations

Finding a good malbec is easy. Finding one that’s a really good value is tougher.

Most Argentinian renditions tend to be acceptable for the price, but many are overly jammy or over-oaked, or both. The ones from Cahors (that reach these shores) are swell but often a bit spendier.

There’s a definite Old World-New World dichotomy, with the French stuff generally dustier and earthier and less fruit-forward. Some Mendoza malbecs achieve a measure of this. The wines listed below, then, are nice for the price, and represent the grape and region adeptly.

$10 and under
• Diseno Malbec Mendoza
• Dona Paola Los Cardos Mendoza
• Famiglia Meschini Premium Mendoza
• Finca Flichman Mendoza

$15 and under
• Catena Zapata Mendoza
• Dominio del Plata Crios de Susana Balbao Mendoza
• Domaine Du Peyri Cahors
• Chateau Eugenie Cuvee Reserve de l’Aieul Cahors
• Finca La Linda Lujan de Cuyo Mendoza
• Piattelli Lujan de Cuyo Premium Mendoza
• Ruta 22 Patagonia
• Tempus Alba Maipu Cuyo Mendoza
• Terra Rosa Old Vine Mendoza
• Tomelo Mendoza

$20 and under

• Chateau De Hauterive Chemin de Compostelle Cahors
• Jean-Francois Merieau Cot “Cent Visages”
• Tikal Natural Mendoza
• Trapiche Broquel Mendoza
• Veramonte Cruz Andina Mendoza

$30 and under
• Achaval-Ferrer Mendoza
• Ch. Eugenie Cahors Haute Collection
• Piattelli Lujan de Cuyo Grand Reserve