As one of the most revered journalists in Argentina, Fabricio Portelli has worked in several different media publications including his own El Conocedor. In 2015 he launched www.fabricioportelli.com where he uses his unique style to educate, inform and rank the best Argentinean wines.
He now hosts his own TV program Lado V where he interviews different wine connoisseurs and wine personalities. For the past few years he has been the Argentinean judge for the 6 Nations Wine Challenge in Sydney.
Fabricio spoke to Artisan Malbec about the significance of Malbec wine and its place in the world, the overall role of Argentinean wines and how the rise of premium Malbec has characterised leading industry events.
Artisan Malbec: Why do you think Argentina adopted the Malbec?
Fabricio Portelli: When Argentina reached out to go and discover the rest of the world we realised that we had so much Malbec in our terroir that we weren’t exploiting. This is when international consultants accidentally realised that instead of competing against wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay it would be best to compete with a unique and new wine like Malbec. This is where its potential was and this is exactly how it happened.
Artisan Malbec: Malbec is now celebrated around the world – which country do you think is going to surprise us next?
Fabricio Portelli: Chile, without doubt. Every year there is an increasing amount of Malbec wine and it offers its own uniqueness because of its maritime climate viticulture as opposed to Argentina’s desert climate viticulture. Also because Chile is so close to us, it is easy for them to come here on a regular basis and learn about our progress and developments in this wine variety.
Artisan Malbec: Do you think Malbec has reached its maximum potential, either in Argentina or worldwide?
Fabricio Portelli: Up until now it was all about the variety of the grape, but now the first ‘terroir wines’ from Malbec have started to appear. With time these will undoubtedly give Malbec a finer, long-lived wholeness, which will then be compared against the best wines in the world. Having said that Malbec has already proved another dimension when combined with other wines like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
Artisan Malbec: On top of all your work to promote Argentinean wines, you have also been organising “Vinos de Lujo”, a wine show held at the Alvear Hotel in Buenos Aires where public and trade can explore luxury Malbec labels and other Argentinean wine varieties. Given your experience, how would you define a ‘Deluxe Malbec wine’?
Fabricio Portelli: It’s a wine with modern expressions of the New World Wines, and textures of the Old World styles. This is because Malbec’s main feature is its bright red fruit, the fine texture of the tannins and the intense full body. This is what we classify as a high-end Malbec; fresh and sharp but that also offers complexity and a cellaring potential of at least 10 years.
Artisan Malbec: You have been involved in many contests and events where you’ve had the opportunity to try Malbecs from different wine growing regions. What characterises a glass of Argentinean Malbec?
Fabricio Portelli: The Argentinean Malbec wine is full of strength if I compare it with Malbec wines from other countries. Malbec went through a thorough process from the beginning where it had no expectations to becoming a flagship wine. And this gave it a significant development process. The variety of grape used in the Malbec wine is very delicate, hence why it needs to be carefully handled throughout the picking and manufacturing process. Argentina is at a more advanced stage in the production of Malbec wines compared to the rest of the world.
Artisan Malbec: What would you say to new consumers of Malbec?
Fabricio Portelli: Like people have acquired a strong liking for French, Italian and Spanish wines, Malbec wine can also be strongly loved by many. Consumers must always associate it with Argentina and what characterises us like tango, soccer, beautiful landscapes and our meat. Malbec reflects all of what Argentina is made of. And when one searches for a wine from a different country, in one way or another, we are trying to travel to that country through our glasses or our palate. This wine is very easy to combine with a meal. Its versatility allows it to go well with many different cuisines however it is best paired with some char-grilled meat. Lastly Malbec goes very well with other wines like roses or reds due to its subtle sweetness and intensity.
