2019 Altocedro Año Cero Malbec La Consulta Uco Valley Mendoza 750 ml

Argentina boasts a long list of great-value reds. But ones with 92-point acclaim, a winemaker that Vinous says is “obsessive about quality,” prime Uco Valley terroir, and an amazing price? That list is a whole lot shorter, and few of the bottles on it can contend with the pinpoint attention to detail and vibrant complexity of the 2019 Altocedro Año Cero Malbec.

If you want to know what we mean when we talk about quality-to-price ratios, pick up a bottle (better yet, a case) and savor its fruit boldness and tantalizing lushness. Then look back at the price, open another, and applaud your own wine-buying savvy. Most years, the Año Cero disappears into local hands, leaving little for buyers north of the equator, so take this chance to stock up.

The very first pour announces this wine’s artisanal craftsmanship, with muscular fruit and floral-and-spice depth, balanced by fresh acidity that conveys the wine’s home in the  Andes. From 30-year-old vines perched at 3,300 feet, winemaker Karim Mussi draws out aromas of plum, cherry, violet, lavender, and spice. “The terroir comes out especially on the palate,” says Vinous, abounding with concentrated dark fruit and savory herbs, all framed by gentle tannins. 

This wine is so pure and terroir-transparent, it shows why the Court of Master Sommeliers has used Altocedro Malbecs to teach aspiring sommeliers what Malbec from Argentina should taste like.

“Altocedro represents real artisanal winemaking, a boutique operation with some serious talent behind the wheel," says Wine Spectator, who has given their wines Top 100 honors. Called a winemaker “with rock star appeal,” by Wine Enthusiast (alongside one of Argentina’s 100-point masters), Karim Mussi treats every wine, whether $50 or $15, with the same dedicated attention. Sustainable farming, hand-harvesting, double hand-sorting, fermentation in small, century-old concrete vats, and aging in French oak add up to investments of time and money that are seldom seen in wines at this price. 

La Consulta has quickly become one of the most in-demand sub-regions of the Uco Valley—one that has attracted world-renowned winemakers like Zuccardi, Marcelo Pelleriti, and Catena Zapata, all seeking exceptional terroir for their top-of-the-line reds. They found it, and they also found Karim Mussi, already there, producing Malbecs of refinement and grace.  

Karim and his father Mario were pioneers in this rugged southern sub-appellation, starting Altocedro in 1989. Karim took over ten years later, harnessing the stark diurnal temperature variation, radiant sunshine, and alluvial soils spread by the nearby Tunuyán River, which all help push the Malbec grape to the brink of ripeness, while mountain freshness helps to focus all that power.

Fermented in century-old cement tanks to preserve purity and aged in French oak for an added layer of richness, we’d recommend stocking up even at twice this price.