Fast facts:
- 2021 Altosur Malbec, Uco Valley, Argentina ($8.89 @ Costco, California – Item #1448051)
97 points and less than $10?
Yep, we can quarrel about whether the 97 points is warranted, but suffice it to say that the 2021 Altosur Malbec is certainly worthy of great praise. Awarded Best in Show for Value Wines at Decanter’s World Wine Awards earlier this year, they had some very good things to say about this wine. Decanter described the color as “saturatedly dense” and the aromas as “beefy” and “plummy”. They went on say it possessed “admirable weight” and “notable energy” and “charm.”
This is some serious juice at a seriously great price.
Altosur is made with 100% estate-grown fruit, and it is aged in French oak barrels. Both rather unheard of at this price. In addition, the estate is working towards organic certification, their vines are 30 to 40 years-old, and this Malbec consistently garners 92–93-point scores across many of the most trusted wine critics and publishers. All I can say is that the finished wine is complete, delicious, and it easily competes with Malbecs that cost 2 to 3 times the price.
Tasting Notes:
Pours a deep intense ruby color. It opens with pure and delightful aromas of plum, blueberry, dark cherry, violet, and toasty oak. On the palate, it is forward and round, with soft tannins and gentle acidity. Dark, quite concentrated, and beautifully polished and harmonious, it finishes with lingering notes of baking spice and tart cherry. Food pairings: this wine would sing with roasted meats, charcuterie, pepperoni pizza and Italian fare with red sauces.
More Information:
The vineyards that contribute to this wine are among the highest in the Valle de Uco – a high desert at 4,000 feet elevation with plenty of sunshine. The warm days and cool nights allow the grapes to develop ripe and concentrated flavors. With a winning combination of cool weather, high elevation and well-draining alluvial soils, it is no surprise that Mendoza’s Uco Valley is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine regions in Argentina. Healthy, easy-to-manage vines produce low yields of high-quality fruit, which in turn create flavorful, full-bodied wines with generous acidity. This is the source of some of the best Malbec in Mendoza, which can range from value-priced to ultra-premium. If you’re curious about where Uco Valley is in Argentina, you can find a helpful map from this review of another Argentinian Malbec.
Stock up while it is still in stores.
Need More Wine Picks from Costco – or Trader Joe’s Even?
If your wine shopping excursions land you in Costco, prepare by grazing our most recent reviews of Costco wines here in our Lucky 13 list.
And if your shopping finds you at Trader Joe’s, you can find our Lucky 13 list of TJ’s wine here.
Happy hunting.
Cheers!
I have not found this wine at my local Costco in suburban Chicago. In fact for quite a while the “value” wine section has been very vin ordinaire and has had very few of the wines mentioned in this or other wine blogs. Any suggestions on how to address this?
Hi Fred, thanks for writing. Costco buys different wines for different regions. The exception is their Kirkland Signature wines. Best advice I can offer is to call your local store and ask if they are stocking the item number that we provide with each review.