Tinto Negro Malbec 2010

Winery: Tinto Negro

Varietal: Malbec

The heavy purple bunches of Malbec grapes found growing in many New and Old World countries produce some extremely varied and distinctive wines. Their thick skins have a high tannin content, which means the wines produced from them are generally full-bodied and deep red in color. Single variety Malbec wines tend to be extremely plummy in their flavor, packing a strong punch and making them ideal for matching with spicy foods. However, because of their high malic acid content and their powerful tannins, many wineries use these grapes for blending with more mellow varietals, producing wonderfully complex wines which age beautifully and produce remarkable flavors and aromas. Because of this, Malbec holds the high position of being one of the few grape varietals used in the production of Bordeaux wines, widely recognized as being the finest wines on earth.

Region: Cuyo

Undoubtedly the most important viticultural region of the country of Argentina is Cuyo, the arid and red-soiled area within central-west Argentina which produces over eighty percent of the nation's wine each year. Cuyo represents the finest aspects of Argentinian wine making, with wineries in the region celebrating their traditions which stretch back to the sacramental wines first introduced to the country by Spanish settlers hundreds of years ago. As with much of Argentina, Cuyo is most famous for the production of Malbec wines, with Malbec grapes thriving prodigiously in the hot climate of the region, reaching full ripeness in ways they rarely could in their native France, and producing wines of exceptional flavor and quality. The Desaguadero River is the key water source in this otherwise dry and dusty region, and successful irrigation projects have helped bring water to even the driest vineyards within Cuyo.

Country: Argentina

As the world's fifth largest producer of wine, after France, Italy, Spain and the United States, Argentina has plenty to offer the international wine market in regards to both quantity and quality. Despite this being the case for several decades now, it has only been since the end of the twentieth century that the Argentinian wine industry has really begun to up their game when it comes to the methods and techniques required to produce world class wines, which are both representative of their country and region of origin, and which stand alone as complex, interesting and delicious wines to drink. As Argentina became a serious contender in the international wine market, wineries previously concerned primarily with high volumes began to change their priorities, and formerly struggling small bodegas and independent wineries began to find success. Nowadays, well crafted wines from smaller vineyards in Argentina are being lauded as some of the finest in the world, and the country is starting to reap the benefits of its heritage, which include some very old vines, and up to four centuries of experience in wine production.