Here at ABCFWS we’re busy as bees adding wines to our ever-growing Direct to You portfolio.  This week heralds a couple of new Argentine offerings from appellations far outside of the seemingly omnipresent Mendoza region (Argentina’s largest and most prominent).  We’ve just procured a Cabernet Sauvignon from Salta and a Malbec from Patagonia. 

Both wines are from Aguijón de Abeja (literally “Bee Sting” en Español).  Aguijón de Abeja is a project from noted Argentine winemakers Héctor and Pablo Durigutti.  The Durigutti brothers employ organic enology in their wines and bottle them unfined and unfiltered to preserve the natural characteristics of each varietal.

Aguijón de Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon ($12.99) is sourced from an old-vine vineyard in Salta, planted in 1950. Salta is some 800 miles north of Mendoza and has the distinction of being Argentina’s highest wine region with plantings extending from five to nearly ten thousand feet above sea level. That’s pretty high! It also has the longest viticultural history in the country; Spanish missionaries first cultivated vines here back in the mid-16^th century.

The grapes for Aguijón de Abeja Malbec ($12.99) come from Patagonia, one of Argentina’s newest wine appellations, located in the country’s extreme south. The Malbec propagated here benefits greatly from Patagonia’s cool climate and chalky sub-soils; promoting bright acidity, finesse and freshness in the finished wine.

I’m not quite sure why the Durigutti brothers named their project after the business end of the bee as there’s nothing “stingy” in these tasty wines texturally or otherwise. In fact, both the Cabernet and Malbec sport lush black and blue fruit cores with admirable balance; suitable for a plate of choripan with a drizzle of chimichurri or grilled flank steak fajitas.

Jim Greeley, Wine Supervisor, SW Florida

Follow me on Twitter @ABCWineJimG