Andrew Maidment: Increasing focus on premium Malbec

By Andrew Catchpole

Published: 20 May, 2016

Malbec's ever growing popularity is presenting Argentine producers with a dilemma as to whether to promote the country's broader diversity of varieties and styles or focus in on its flagship grape

Malbec's ever growing popularity is presenting Argentine producers with a dilemma as to whether to promote the country's broader diversity of varieties and styles or focus in on its flagship grape.

According to Andrew Maidment of Wines of Argentina: "The debate in Argentina has shifted, with producers asking whether the message of diversity itself should focus on the country as a whole, or diversity within Malbec itself."

"Things are going pretty well, UK sales of Argentine wines were up 33% on the first quarter in 2015 and we are up 41% in the first quarter of this year," says Maidment. "But over 50% of what we sell is Malbec, so the question is whether we take the example of a country like New Zealand, which is a third of the size of Argentina, but has managed to ensure that one variety has a place on every list in the UK."

Maidment believes that there is now potential for strong growth at the more premium level for Malbec through focusing on the individual sites and microclimates in Mendoza and other production regions.

It's a view that several in the trade, including Fuller's wine director Neil Bruce, agree with. Since coming into the role six months ago, Bruce has increased the Malbecs on his portfolio from two to eight, with a clear range architecture differentiated by price and style, offering what he describes as: "a clear and understandable path for the consumer to trade up within Malbec".

Argentina's producers have reservation, though, about putting all their vinous eggs in to the one basket.

"The big issue is that only 12% of our exports [to the UK] are white, while the market is 50% white, so we are only operating effectively in 50% of the market," says Maidment. "But if we can persuade people to expand their range from one or two Malbecs to seven or eight then there is so much potential to drive sales from an already very popular wine."

Around 140 Argentine producers are currently selling into the UK, with many looking to increase their presence, and the UK recently overtook Canada as the second biggest export market by value.

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