Storm Warnings

A spate of wet vintages puts vintners in Argentina to the test.

- Kim Marcus

Recent vintages in Argentina have proved challenging to the country’s vintners and grape growers, with rain, frost and hail plaguing 2016, 2015 and 2014 to varying degrees. These are anomalous conditions in the usually desert like climate that characterizes this South American nation’s major wine growing regions, which are centered on the Mendoza district, located at the base of the Andes. The culprits include climate change and, in the case of 2016, a particularly strong El Niño effect.

For consumers, this means careful shopping is necessary. Still, there are many good wines that offer distinctive flavors, especially from the 2013 vintage. Since my last report (“Argentine Evolution,” Dec. 31, 2015 – Jan. 15, 2016), I have tasted more than 425 wines from Argentina; just over 100 of them earn outstanding scores of 90 points or higher on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale, with the vast majority of those made from Malbec, Argentina’s leading red grape. (A free alphabetical list of scores and prices for all wines tasted is available at www.winespectator.com/123116.)

The sole wine in this report to rate in the classic range of 95 to 100 points is the Viña Cobos Malbec La Consulta Bramare Rebon Vineyard 2013 (95 points, $95). Suave and rich-tasting, with red berry, sandalwood, chestnut and plum tart flavors, it is from California-based vintner Paul Hobbs, who has played an instrumental role in putting Argentine Malbec on the world stage. In 1989, Hobbs began consulting for Argentinian wine pioneer Nicolás Catena, who brought in Hobbs to help him modernize winemaking at his Catena Zapata estate. Hobbs soon became devoted to making great Malbec, and he has been a driving force in Argentina ever since.