2021 Aventura Valle de Canota Malbec, Kaiken Aventura

• Style: Full-bodied Argentine Malbec
• Taste: Blackberry, strawberry, chocolate with creamy mouthfeel
• Food: Beef, barbecue, stews, lamb, pork
• Occasion: Weeknight, Sunday lunch
• Serve: 14.5% ABV, drink now, vegan-friendly

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

A deep ruby wine with violet glints, the 2021 Aventura unfolds blackberry and fresh strawberry softened by chocolate undertones. The mouthfeel is creamy, tannins caressing rather than gripping — fruit-forward generosity married to remarkable freshness. This is Malbec that shows why Argentina's reputation for the variety is so thoroughly earned.

The Winery — Kaiken, Montes' Mendoza Outpost

Montes, a Chilean producer, crossed the Andes to establish Kaiken in Mendoza, focusing on Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2021 Aventura comes from Valle de Canota, a sub-region classified as a Geographical Indication only in 2019 and still largely unmapped by the wider world. Planted in 2015 on Andean desert terrain with low rainfall and moisture-retentive soils, the vineyard sits 22 miles from the city where harvest kicks off a full month ahead of the Uco Valley. Hand-harvested at dawn with a careful three-day native-yeast soak before fermentation, the wine spent twelve months in concrete tanks followed by six months' rest in bottle. The early ripening of the 2021 vintage, marked by spring warmth and strategic February rain, contributed to a silver medal at the International Wine Challenge.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

Serve alongside beef, barbecue, carne asada, empanadas, stews, and lamb — foods that need a wine with body and soft black-fruit flavours to stand up. At 14.5% alcohol with a whisper of residual sugar, it's vegan-friendly and drinks beautifully now. If you've been exploring our Malbec selection, this sits among the finest expressions at this price and makes a compelling argument for what's still being discovered in Mendoza's newer valleys. Perfect for weeknight dinners or Sunday lunch when you want a wine built to drink, not to puzzle over.