2018 Susana Balbo, Brioso Single Vineyard, Agrelo, Mendoza, Argentina
£22, thewinesociety.com
I usually prefer the entry-level red wines from the top Argentinian wineries to their top-of-the-range creations. More often than not the expensive wines are excessively concentrated and raucously over-oaked. Not so the wines from Susana Balbo. I listed her wines back in the Nineties on my Bibendum Restaurant wine list and she was so pleased she paid me a visit. Susana is not obsessed with scale and power in her reds, but with complexity, harmony and length. Try her 2020 Susana Balbo Tradición Malbec (£12, Marks & Spencer) to get you in the mood for my featured wine.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Brioso is the finest Argentinian red I can remember tasting. It is deep, long, controlled and luxurious, and every element of the 43% cabernet sauvignon, 26% malbec, 17% cabernet franc and 14% petit verdot blend resonates with extraordinary class, refinement and balance. It comes from the Dominio vineyard in Agrelo, situated at 980 metres, and this imbues freshness and poise in the fruit. Amazingly, it is aged for 15 months in 100% new French oak barrels, and the oak nuances have melted perfectly into the wine.
In terms of value, there are few wines in the world to touch this epic creation given its grand “Bordeaux” shape and unmistakable harmony. It is also drinking now –further proof that Susana is one of the planet’s most talented winemakers.
Matthew Jukes is a winner of the International Wine & Spirit Competition’s Communicator of the Year (matthewjukes.com)
-
Private school fees soar and VAT threat looms – what does it mean for you?Rising private school fees could see more than one in five parents pull their children out of their current school. Before you remortgage, move house or look to grandparents for help, here’s what you need to know.
-
Best and worst UK banks for online banking revealedWhen it comes to keeping your money safe, not all banks are equal. We reveal the best and worst banks for online banking when it comes to protecting your money from scams
-
Val d’Isère is a valley of delightsMoneyWeek Travel Matthew Partridge reviews Airelles Val d’Isere and Hotel Mont-Blanc in the famous French ski resort
-
Review: The Ozen Collection – a dream stay in the MaldivesMoneyWeek Travel Ozen Life Maadhoo and Ozen Reserve Bolifushi, where luxury meets nature, are almost too good to be true, says Nicole García Mérida.
-
Review: An odyssey through Sri LankaMoneyWeek Travel Merryn Somerset Webb explores the South Asian country’s ruins, jungle and fabulous food.
-
Flexjet review: the only way to flyMoneyWeek Travel Chris Carter flies with Flexjet, a provider of fractional ownership of private jets, to St Moritz in Switzerland for the Snow Polo World Cup.
-
South American nature holidays – take a walk on the wild sideTravel We find holidays in South America where you can explore nature in all its diversity.
-
10 most affordable places to rent (and least) in EnglandAs rent prices increase, it’s good to know where renters can get the best value. And which are the least affordable areas, to avoid.
-
Collectables: The Christmas gift for people who have everythingA collectable is deeply personal. It is the archetypal thoughtful Christmas gift.
-
Lucknam Park Hotel review: a stately stay in the countryMoneyWeek Travel Matthew Partridge tries his hand at horse riding at the luxury Lucknam Park Hotel in Wiltshire.
