In 1989, Paul Hobbs visited Mendoza for the first time. Driving over the Andes from Chile, he fell in love with the place and the people, but also with its potential to make great wine.

He began experimenting with wild fermented Chardonnay and then with the variety that would become Argentina’s calling card – Malbec; his first 10-barrel vintage of Malbec persuaded the American press of the potential of this grape. Paul established his own winery, Viña Cobos, in 1999 and over 20 years later, continues to make wines that are authentic expressions of the terroir they come from. In his exploration of the different terroirs across Mendoza, Paul looks to the most distinguished regions of Luján de Cuyo and Valle de Uco to produce wines that uniquely express their origins. The winery’s elegant and balanced wines are a result of meticulous vineyard farming and utmost respect for terroir.

Mendoza is Argentina’s most important and renowned wine region, responsible for around 70% of the country’s wine production. Situated on the eastern side of the Andes, Mendoza benefits from a unique combination of altitude, sunlight, and dry conditions, making it ideal for viticulture.

The region’s high elevation – ranging from 600 to over 1,500 metres above sea level – moderates the hot, sunny climate, allowing grapes to ripen fully while retaining acidity. The Andes play a crucial role, providing irrigation through meltwater and shielding the area from Pacific weather systems. The semi-arid climate offers over 300 days of sunshine per year with minimal rainfall, reducing the risk of disease and allowing for precise vineyard management.

Mendoza is divided into several key sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo, Maipú, and the Uco Valley. Each has distinct terroirs influenced by altitude and soil composition. The Uco Valley, for example, is prized for its cooler climate and limestone-rich soils, producing elegant, high-quality wines.

Malbec is Mendoza’s flagship grape, celebrated for its deep colour, rich fruit, and velvety tannins. Other prominent varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Bonarda, Syrah, and increasingly, white grapes such as Chardonnay, Torrontés, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Malbec is a dark-skinned grape variety originally from southwestern France, particularly Cahors, where it was historically known as “Côt.” Once widely grown throughout Bordeaux as a blending grape, its plantings in France declined due to susceptibility to frost, coulure, and disease. However, Malbec found a new home in Argentina, where it has become the country’s flagship variety.

Viticulturally, Malbec thrives in warm, sunny climates with significant diurnal temperature variation, which helps develop rich fruit flavours while preserving acidity. The grape is vigorous, with large berries and thin skins, making it prone to rot in humid conditions but capable of producing deeply coloured wines in dry environments.

Globally, Malbec is most famously planted in Argentina’s Mendoza region, where high-altitude vineyards produce intensely flavoured wines with smooth tannins. It is also cultivated in Cahors, Chile, the United States (notably California and Washington), Australia, and South Africa.

In style, Malbec ranges from the rustic, tannic, and earthy examples of Cahors to the plush, fruit-forward wines of Mendoza. Typical flavours include ripe black plum, blackberry, and blueberry, often accented by cocoa, violet, and spice notes. Well-made Malbecs are full-bodied, with deep colour, supple texture, and a crowd-pleasing balance of fruit richness and structure.