I tasted 21 affordable malbecs and the results were surprising

Having looked at some premium malbec a few weeks ago, today I turn my attention to the less expensive wines. I tasted 21 malbecs in total, mostly from Argentina but also some French, Chilean, and Australian wines. My test selection included wines from all of the major multiples, and all cost €12 or less.

Malbec is originally from southwest France, where it was one of the blending grapes in red Bordeaux and the primary variety in the wines of Cahors. Today, Argentina is comfortably the world’s largest malbec producer and has been very successful around the world, including in Ireland.

I was looking forward to this tasting; malbec from Argentina is typically perfumed, rich in dark fruits with velvety smooth tannins and good balancing acidity, and the inexpensive versions can be very good. But it didn’t work out as I expected.

At one stage, most malbec from Argentina came in at a warming 14-14.5 per cent alcohol, but more recently producers have been pulling back a little, possibly to appeal to consumers seeking lighter wines, and also to fit in with UK excise duties. Whatever the reason, the vast majority of wines in this tasting were 11-13 per cent. And it didn’t always make for pleasant tasting.

I don’t think malbec is designed to be a low-alcohol wine. Instead of all that lovely ripe fruit, some had high acidity and seemed a little too light and scrawny. With others, including the wines below, it worked better. Malbec is the usual suggestion to match with steak, but with these lighter wines you could think about most red and white meats.

Deluxe Valle de Uco Malbec 2025

13.5%, €8.29

Lovely floral aromas, fresh juicy dark plums with good acidity and plenty of rich fruit. A great budget-friendly wine to enjoy on cold autumn nights.

Lidl

Belhara Estate Single Vineyard Malbec 2024, Uco Valley, by Stephen Paul Huse

13%, €16 (€12 with Clubcard)

Rich, ripe, sweet dark fruits with a rounded finish and decent length. A stand-out at the tasting.

Tesco

Trapiche Oak Cask Malbec 2023, Mendoza

13%, €13 (€11 with Real Rewards)

Light to medium bodied with concentrated plum fruits, subtle vanilla and toasted oak, and good acidity.

From SuperValu and Centra

Vacazada Malbec 2025, Uco Valley

13%, €11.99 (down from €16.99)

Medium bodied with good, sweet, ripe dark plum fruits and a soft easy finish.

O’Briens