Malbec is the person in the room that everyone either wants to be—or be with. Eye-catching in the glass, it is recognizable by its alluring deep velvet colour. Full-bodied and bursting with personality, it charms with its plush ripe fruit and regales with its smooth chocolatey finish. Versatile, it is an exemplary dinner companion whether you are serving an extravagant sirloin or a basic burger.

Malbec was born in the south of France. Now it is most at home in Argentina where its fruit flavours fully ripen under the South American sun. When nurtured by the higher elevations in the foothills of the Andes, it maintains just enough acidity to keep the fruit in perfect balance.

The talented winemakers of Luján de Cuyo, the heartland of Argentina’s wine region, recognize the promise of this variety and reveal it to the world. Over the decades it has taken centre stage as the prodigy in their vineyards and the star in their cellars. Year after year, they coax it to greater heights of perfection.

This is certainly the case at Bodegas Trivento, one of Argentina’s leading Malbec producers. The Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec 2018 was awarded 97 points by Decanter magazine, a score you don’t often see for a wine priced under $20. And, at long last, a shipment has arrived in Ontario and is now on shelf at the LCBO.