Bodega Privada Colección Malbec 2020 Mendoza, Argentina 75cl

Bodega Privada Coleccion is a Mendoza label offering approachable, everyday Argentine wine. Detailed background on the producer is limited, so this description is built from the wine’s grape, region and style, all drawn from Portman’s catalogue data. The Coleccion name points to an everyday, value-focused range.

This is pure Malbec, Argentina’s signature red grape, grown in Mendoza, the country’s largest and most important wine province. Mendoza’s altitude and sunshine give its Malbec ripe fruit and reliable warmth. Here Malbec is made in a soft, fruit-forward style aimed at easy, immediate drinking rather than long ageing, showing the friendly face of the grape.

From the 2020 vintage, it is a ripe, ready-to-drink red that needs no cellaring and is at its best over the next couple of years, while its fruit is fresh.

Expect ripe plum and cherry fruit, a smooth, approachable palate and gentle, easy tannins, with a clean, medium-bodied finish. It is uncomplicated and versatile. Serve with pizza, pasta, burgers or a simple midweek grill. It suits a table of friends without asking for attention.

This is a straightforward, crowd-pleasing Malbec for casual drinking and easy sharing. If you want the ripe, juicy character Argentine Malbec is loved for, without any fuss, it makes a reliable house red you can pour with confidence, for everyday occasions and larger gatherings alike. Serve it at a cool room temperature, and give it a brief decant if you like to soften the tannins a little further. It is the sort of unfussy, ripe Malbec that suits a busy week and a full table equally well.