Riccitelli 'Hey Malbec' 2023

Matías Riccitelli is one of the new-wave Argentine winemakers pushing freshness over weight. Bright, lifted, savoury Malbec — far from the heavy stereotype.

The fruit splits between two parts of Mendoza, Luján de Cuyo and the high ground of the Uco Valley. Up in the Andes foothills, cold nights hold the acidity that lowland Malbec loses. That is the whole trick behind the freshness in this glass.

Handling stays out of the way. Hand-picked fruit ferments without additions, then rests at least nine months in small concrete eggs and used French oak. No new barrels touch it, so you taste grape and place instead of vanilla. Riccitelli's stated aim is elegance over extraction, wine cultivated rather than overworked.

Expect blackberry and blackcurrant with violet and black pepper over soft, ripe tannins. Steak is the obvious plate. The acidity also carries it through lamb or a charcuterie board.