Abremundos Octava Alta Malbec Cabernet Franc 2018 Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina 75cl

Abremundos is the shared project of winemaker Marcelo Pelleriti and musician and sommelier Pedro Aznar, brought together in 2012 by a love of wine and music. Pelleriti is one of Argentina’s most widely travelled winemakers, splitting his year between the Uco Valley and the cellars of Pomerol in Bordeaux.

Octava Alta blends Malbec with Cabernet Franc from high vineyards in the Uco Valley, where Andean meltwater and cold nights slow ripening and preserve freshness. Malbec brings the plush, dark-fruited heart of the wine, while Cabernet Franc lends structure, a savoury edge and a lift of leafy freshness. The result feels both generous and composed.

Drawn from the 2018 harvest, this is a red built for the medium term. It carries the concentration and grip typical of high-altitude Uco fruit, and has the depth to reward a few years in the cellar before it fully opens.

Expect a deep, layered palate of blackberry and plum, threaded with graphite, spice and a herbal note from the Cabernet Franc. Ripe, firm tannins carry a long, savoury finish. Decant a young bottle and serve with asado, grilled ribeye or a mature hard cheese. It will also sit happily beside roast lamb, and is best served at a cool room temperature to show its structure.

This is a wine for the enthusiast drawn to the meeting point of Argentine Malbec and Bordeaux craft. If you enjoy structured Uco Valley reds with a Cabernet Franc accent, Octava Alta earns its place at a special dinner or a bottle worth cellaring.