Kaiken Ultra Uco Valley Malbec

Kaiken sits over in Mendoza making Argentinian wine with plenty of richness and sunshine, but usually with a bit more polish and restraint than the full power-bomb Malbec stereotype people expect.

The winery was founded by Aurelio Montes from Chile’s famous Montes winery, who spotted the potential across the Andes and decided Argentina looked like a very sensible place to start making wine too. The name comes from the Patagonian wild goose that crosses between Chile and Argentina, which is significantly more poetic than most winery naming stories. (kaikenwines.com)

Malbec is still the heart of the range obviously. Dark berries, plum, spice, cocoa and soft tannins all showing up nicely, but the wines usually keep enough freshness and structure to stop them turning into jammy oak soup. Cabernet Sauvignon and blends also play a big role, especially in the more serious bottlings.

A lot of the fruit comes from higher altitude vineyards around Mendoza, which helps keep acidity and elegance intact despite all the sunshine. You still get plenty of flavour, just with a bit more balance underneath.

There’s a very smooth approachable style running through the whole range too. The wines feel polished without becoming boringly corporate, and they work brilliantly with food, especially anything involving grilled meat and fire.

Which, to be fair, is basically Argentina’s national hobby.