Masi Tupungato Passo Doble 2023

A splash of Veneto in the middle of Mendoza - Malbec mixed with Corvina and a touch of appassimento. About 30% Corvina, the backbone of Valpolicella, is blended in and lightly dried before fermentation, the Venetian trick that adds richness without heaviness. That brings Malbec's plummy depth together with Corvina's cherry-bright lift, tied up with a subtle dried-fruit edge. Generous and ripe yet carried by fresh acidity, a red that knows how to deliver flavour without throwing its weight around.

Spot on with pasta al ragù or lasagne, where the fruit and savoury spice echo the sauce; equally good with grilled meats or hard cheeses, which pick up the dried-fruit note.

Masi Tupungato is a project set up by the well-known Italian estate of Masi based in the region around Verona and famous for their Amarones among other wines. They considered that they found the right conditions in Mendoza's Tupungato Valley where they could replicate the techniques of the Venetian regions in a completely eco-sustainable manner. Here they grow a mix of regular Argentinian varieties like Malbec and Torrontes together with such Northern Italian specialities as Corvina and Pinot Grigio. They also make their wines using the appassimento technique as is common back home in the Veneto as well as all farming being done on an organic basis.