Wine Of The Week: Terrazas de los Andes Extremo Malbec 2022

An Argentinian Malbec from one of the highest peaks in the Andes.

For Terrazas de los Andes’ newest wine, the brand aimed high. Not just in terms of flavor and execution, but in elevation—its the Argentinian estate’s highest-altitude Malbec ever. 

Grapes are grown in one small parcel that’s situated 1,200 meters into Los Chacayes, a region quickly earning a reputation for producing the Grand Cru wines of the Uco Valley. (Impressive, considering just a few decades ago these hills were a barren desert. Terrazas de los Andes still farms the property using regenerative agriculture.)

What’s the draw of these lofty hughes, beyond bragging rights? Malbec loves higher-altitude vineyards. The sunny days coax out plush ripeness, finessed freshness, and rich florality but the cool mountain nights keep the grapes from getting over-ripe or over-concentrated. When interpreted through estate director (and president of Wines of Argentina) Lucas Löwi’s deft hands, the Malbec is packed with juicy dog-days-of-summer blackberries, ripened plums, and Mexican chocolate, balanced  out by a lightening streak of slate-y minerality. $200

Kate Dingwall is a sommelier and wine writer. Her work frequently appears in Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, Eater, Forbes.com, Vogue, and Food & Wine, and she pours wine at one of Canada’s top restaurants.