“If you’re the kind of wine lover who is always on the lookout for the next surprise, then the Uco Valley is the place to be right now.” – Vinous

Here we go!

This is the insider tip. The straight hookup. You’ve been led to the great Great Malbec Truth and now’s the time to decide if you can part with $19 for the goods or if this is just some wonky sales pitch.

What if we throw in a 95 point score from Decanter? They say “this is absolutely what Gualtallary should deliver: a feast of fruit and flowers, bright acidity and bags of tension.”

On board yet?

You should be. Sure, good Malbec is easy to find. And often cheap, simple, but enjoyable.

Great Malbec is not so easy to come by, delivers tremendous complexity, and can soar in price. This is the great kind. But it comes at a cheap price, as in under $20?! The contradiction boggles the mind but warms our wine-soaked souls.

Finca Sophenia is by a family who put their roots down in Gualtallary - arguably one of Argentina’s finest regions to grow grapes and the highest elevation appellation in the Uco Valley’s Tupungato sector. They pioneered the territory and planted grapes where people thought it couldn’t be done. And the results have been fantastic - 150+ wines getting 90+ points and garnering international recognition.

The Estate Reserva is their flagship line. It’s made from their oldest, lowest-yielding, high-elevation vines, and has the complexity and juicy red plums and come-hither mix of purple/blue fruits entice up front. Candied flowers - lilacs, violets, and lavender rise to the surface. Leather and cinnamon join the party. It’s a sensory delight, and best of all, easy on the wallet.

You have the insider info and a chance to buy at the bottom - so what are you waiting for?

95 Points – Decanter

“Finca Sophenia is the creation of Roberto Luka, sometime president of Wines of Argentina, its name from an amalgam of daughters Sophie and Eugenia. Rogelio Rabino is head winemaker, with Matías Michelini in a consulting role. The vines are spread over 130ha of sandy and rocky soils at an altitude of 1,200m. Among their most treasured holdings here are the plantings of low-yielding Malbec clones. Following fermentation, the grapes are macerated with the skins for 10 days, after which the wines spend around a year in oak. Intense aromas of floral-tinged black cherry and blueberry fruit, with a beautiful length and elegance of herbal and floral black fruit on the palate. This is absolutely what Gualtallary should deliver: a feast of fruit and flowers, bright acidity and bags of tension.”