All the medallists from the Global Malbec Masters 2024

Although synonymous with Argentina, there are top Malbecs to be found across the globe from Chile to China, writes Patricia Stefanowicz MW.

Malbec has an intriguing history.

Once the ‘prince’ of the Gironde, it lost its lustre in the late 19th century when it fell prey to the ‘dreaded louse’, phylloxera. The grape variety survived in the lesser-planted areas of the rivers Dordogne (Bergerac) and Lot (Cahors), and it is a variety that thrives there nowadays. But the grape’s renown is really due to its transportation to Argentina by the agriculturist Michel Pouget in the mid-19th century, and the majority of the best wines are produced there, in its adopted homeland.

The quality of the wines we judged in this 2024 Global Malbec Masters is genuinely high, from inexpensive to extremely high-priced. These are, to use the much-denigrated phrase, ‘food wines’. But they are not merely for ‘gaucho’ beef; they pair well with game birds, chicken, and roasted butternut squash. And, for Americans, Malbec is perfect for a November Thanksgiving turkey feast.

This year most of the wines came from South America, with Argentina dominating the harvest of Silver and Gold medals. Chilean Malbecs can be good when properly ripened and we found a few more-than-respectable examples, showing good balance and concentration. Mendoza and, especially the cooler parts of Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo, produce stunning wines, intense but elegant, with abundant silky-textured tannins and aromatic overtones, crushed rose petals and hints of acacia honey.

Weightier wines come from the lower, warmer slopes here, though the wines retain balance and integrity. At every price-point, these wines deliver. Gold and Master medals include wines produced by Alfa Crux, Los Helechos, Lorca, Agostino, Dante Robino, Kaiken, Domiane Bousquet, Pyros, El Enemigo, Bianchi, Catena Zapata, Salentein and Achaval Ferrer. The list is seemingly endless. Chile also gave us a lot of pleasure, with Millaman’s Paya from Curicó Valley standing out.

Other positives this year were the blends of Malbec and other, mostly Bordelais, varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Petit Verdot also works well. Many of these are succulent and aromatic, showing how well Malbec can work with other grapes. In particular, by adding extra dimension and filling the sometimes slightly hollow mid-palate of Malbec on its own, these other varieties make the wines more complete. In this year’s Global Malbec Masters we saw more blends coming from outside France, from the likes of Argentina, Chile and other parts of the globe.

At the £30-£100+ price levels especially, many of the wines are absolutely delicious, providing concentrated fruit, oak accents, fresh acidity and velvet tannins. They are layered, complex wines well worth having in one’s drinking repertoire.

Some of the enjoyment this year comes from Malbec’s birthplace, southwest France. There are exceptional examples, notably from Cahors, Bordeaux and Bergerac. Another good place to search out high quality Malbec wines is the Frontonnais. Vinovalie, a group of four co-operatives (and 300 vignerons) in the area around Fronton, garnered a couple of medals for their Malbec wines. In all these French areas, lively acidity, controlled tannins and appropriate use of oak with less obtrusive alcohol means less palate fatigue, even at the end of a long tasting.

One should not forget other global locations. There was a delightful, vibrant un-oaked Malbec from Stonehaven in South Australia, and an unbelievably outstanding pair of wines from Château Rong Yuanmei in the Helan Mountains of mainland China garnered Gold and Master medals. Expensive, luxurious and fabulous, these Ningxia ‘Red Label’ series wines, especially the 2020, are beginning to drink now, but they will age and mature well for a decade or more.

Still White Unoaked 100% Malbec

Still Unoaked 100% Malbec

Still Oaked 100% Malbec

Still Oaked 100% Malbec continued

Still Unoaked Malbec Blend

Still Oaked Malbec Blend