265: Malbec Magic: Argentina's Bold Twist on a Classic with Amanda Barnes, Author of The South America Wine Guide

Unreserved Wine Talk

How did the South American wine industry develop? What might surprise you about the variety of wines produced in South America? How has Argentina's flagship red wine, Malbec, changed over the past five years?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Amanda Barnes, author of The South America Wine Guide.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Giveaway

One of you is going to win a copy of Amanda's beautiful hardcover book, The South America Wine Guide.

To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [e-mail] and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

When did Amanda realize she wanted to become a writer?

What was the motivation behind Amanda’s move from England to Argentina?

Why did Amanda decide to write The South America Wine Guide?

What will you learn from The South America Wine Guide?

Why did Amanda decide to self-publish?

How did the South American wine industry develop?

Why don’t we hear more about Chilean Malbec and how did Cabernet Sauvignon become the champion grape of Chile?

How has the style of Malbec evolved over the last 10 years?

What is meant by “graphite tannins”?

How do terroir and soil influence a wine’s flavour profile?

What percentage of Argentinian vineyards today are planted with Malbec?

How does elevation influence the characteristics of Malbec from different regions?

How do climatic factors like solar radiation and ozone influence the intensity and brightness of fruit in Chilean and Argentinian wines?

Key Takeaways

I loved that literature inspired Amanda to move to South America and then her fascination with the wines kept her there. She shares some terrific insights about how the South American wine industry developed, including the wild diversity of wines produced in the region.

She also opens up the world of Malbec, Argentina's flagship red wine, to us and how it’s changed over the past five years. As she notes, Malbec is planted in almost every wine region in the country so it’s an unparalleled opportunity to taste different terroirs. Some are made in the style of Pinot Noir rather than in the style of Cabernet Sauvignon.

She also observes that even though trends have taken over the population of vines in different periods, diversity still remains in the old vines.

I loved her story about going into the soil pits, especially since that’s where all great wine starts.

About Amanda Barnes

Amanda Barnes is an award-winning British journalist and editor who specializes in wine and travel writing. She is an expert in South American wine and regions and a regular correspondent for international wine and travel publications (including Decanter, Fodor’s, SevenFifty, The Guardian & The Telegraph). She is currently studying to become a Master of Wine and is the author of The South America Wine Guide.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/265.