2020 Las Prisas Mendoza, Argentina Malbec

It has gone from Europe to The Americas and back the Old World, enriched with the climates and the soils of the Southern Cone, a geographic and cultural region composed of the southernmost areas of South America — including Argentina.

The historic center of Malbec production was Cahors, a town in southwest France near the Pyrenees. Its expansion outside France began in the 18th century, toward the east, and it reached the Southern Cone of America in the 19th century. Then in the late 20th century, its popularity — particularly in Argentina — exploded.

Finally, the variety had found its ideal climate and soil, along with a cadre of winemakers whose only wish was to craft the best wine possible. The quality and popularity of wines like the 2020 vintage of Las Prisas is undeniable, prompting vintners in France to take another look at this superb variety.