2021 Mai Mendoza Malbec, Kaiken

• Style: Ripe, structured Malbec with power and finesse
• Taste: Ripe plum, cherry, tobacco leaf, vanilla, dry finish
• Food: BBQ, grilled beef, carne asada, stews, lamb, pork
• Occasion: Date night, gifting, cellar worthy
• Serve: 14.8% ABV, room temperature or slightly cool

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Garnet depth with ruby catch-light: a wine balanced between power and finesse. Ripe plums and cherries lead, held in check by tobacco leaf and whisper of vanilla. The structure is clean and purposeful, finishing long and dry—a Malbec that reminds you why the grape matters.

The Winery — Kaiken

Kaiken takes its name from the kaikenes, the wild geese that fly across the Andes between Chile and Argentina — and Montes, the Chilean winery, made the same crossing to set up in Mendoza. The fruit here comes from the Kaiken estate in Vistalba, in the heart of Luján de Cuyo: a century-old vineyard planted in 1910, just south of the city of Mendoza. Alluvial soils and broad temperature swings there push vines to real character. The 2021 vintage benefited from cooler January and February in Mendoza, slowing harvest to build concentration without losing freshness. Hand-picked fruit underwent seven days of cold maceration, fermented in concrete with natural and selected yeasts, then aged eighteen months in oak—careful winemaking that lets the wine speak for itself.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

This is a wine built for the table: carne asada, beef barbecue, anything grilled and smoky find their match here. Its balanced acidity and structure stand up equally well to stews, braises, lamb, and pork. At 14.8% ABV, it carries its weight gracefully and drinks without fatigue on its own. Perfect for date night or as a gift, it's serious enough to cellar, alive enough to drink now. Explore our full Malbec selection, or discover what else we've curated from Argentina's premium regions, including the treasures of Mendoza.