I’m looking for a great inexpensive Malbec for a dinner party. Any recommendations would be appreciated!
Hi Sean, Malbec is a great choice for value wine. There are great Malbecs from the Uco Valley for well under $30. If you want to impress your guests with a wine fact, Malbec is native to Cahors in France, where it’s known as Côt (“coat”). The most iconic producer is Chateau de Cedre, which has bottlings priced in the $30s, but if you can’t find one of those, Chateau de Mercues is another notable producer that you can often find at Total Wine.
Alamos Malbec is my go-to for stuff like that. Usually around $10–12 and way better than it should be at that price.
Trapiche has a few good Malbecs too. Their Oak Cask line is solid—feels a bit more special for a dinner party without going over budget.
Honestly, Malbec’s one of the best value grapes out there. Most decent bottles in the $12–18 range won’t let you down. Just stick with Argentina and you’re usually golden.
Can confirm on Trapiche—I poured it at a party and everyone thought it was a $40 bottle.
I feel like Malbec also holds up better after opening than a lot of reds. Even two days later it still tastes solid.
Anyone tried the Kirkland Signature Malbec? I’m almost embarrassed to say it was… kinda great?
My trick is to look for Uco Valley or Tupungato on the label. Even cheap bottles from those areas are usually solid.