If the Bordelais have blended stellar wines seemingly forever, and New World locales like California, Washington State and even neighboring Chile also do it well, then so can Argentina, at least in theory.
Blended wines, especially those led by Malbec, may not be Argentina’s flagship—and they may not even be better than some varietal wines, according to multiple sources—but there are strong examples being made each year, with more on the market than ever before.
“Normally I would say yes, well-made blends deliver the best balance,” says Aurelio Montes del Campo, winemaker at Kaiken. “But sometimes not. You can blend only Malbec from different sources and get great results. Other times, a blend of different varieties works best. And there are other times when one variety from one vineyard can provide the best balance.
“Blends are a hot subject, but I’m not sure they are inherently better.”
Paul Hobbs, a shareholder in Viña Cobos who has been consulting in Argentina since the 1990s, says the thought that blends are inherently better is a “quixotic myth.”
“A lot of blending is smoke and mirrors and sold as ‘better’ to an unwitting public,” says Hobbs. “Blending is useful for covering mistakes, yet it can also take a wine from strength to strength, where the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts. A soloist may be more compelling than an orchestra. So, too, may an unblended wine be superior to one that’s blended.”
As to whether consumers want more blends from a country best known for Malbec varietals, Ed Lehrman, a partner in Vine Connections, a leading importer of wines from Argentina, says that sales of blends have been shaky.
“I’d say blends do deliver better balance, but better sales? No, not yet.”
Top Wines to Try
Bodegas Caro 2012 Red (Mendoza); $63, 94 points. This blend of 75% Malbec and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon opens with smoke, char, herbs and rooty black-fruit notes. Flavors of coffee, baking spices, blackberry, herbs and mocha finish toasty. Drink through 2024. Pasternak Wine Imports. Editors’ Choice.
Finca Sophenia 2011 Synthesis The Blend (Tupungato); $45, 92 points. This blend of 60% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot is ripe but fresh. Chocolaty oak rides on top of blackberry, cassis and mocha flavors, while oak persists on a cuddly finish. Drink through 2020. The Country Vintner.
Proemio 2011 Barrel Selection I (Mendoza); $60, 91 points. The blend is Malbec with Syrah and Merlot, and the nose is earthy, with grainy oak along with blackberry aromas. Lush, rich and supple in feel, with leathery blackberry flavors along with coffee and bacon notes. Drink through 2021. Faropian Spirits, Ltd.