ACHAVAL FERRER
Ask any serious wine lover, the top Malbec in the world and anyone in the know, will tell you, it’s Achaval-Ferrer. These guys are very much the first family of Argentinean wine. Vine age averages at 107 years. The vineyard is irrigated the traditional way in Argentina, with channels. The company itself 20 years old and has recently changed hands and is now French owned, by a company that also has interests in Navarra in Spain and have a 25% interest in a rather large Italian company… back to Argentina. The style of Achaval-Ferrer wines is a balance of ripeness and natural acidity for freshness. The older folk in Argentina say that it’s a green unripe style, the international media and fine wine lovers globally rave about AF wines. My advice, give them a go, you won’t be disappointed. Gustavo Rearte is the Winemaker, he studied at Juan Agustin Maza University in Mendoza before travelling the world, including to New Zealand to learn more before returning and joining Achaval-Ferrer.