2018 Tapiz Black Tears Malbec Mendoza Uco Valley 750 ml

Malbec doesn’t soar much higher than the 2018 Tapiz Black Tears. Literally. 

Grown on one of the highest-elevation sites in the world, it’s so simultaneously complex and elegant that it ranks among our favorite Malbecs.

Tapiz has earned Wine & Spirits Top 100 Winery honors, and in a 2018 growing season that will go down as one of the best of the decade, winemaker Fabián Valenzuela—who has worked San Pablo for 20 years—and Jean-Claude Berrouet (known as the longtime winemaker for Bordeaux icon Château Pétrus) crafted a stellar wine, one whose ruby depths deliver complex aromas and a rich, multidimensional palate, framed by polished tannins. 

At 4,430 feet up in Andes foothills, the sustainably farmed San Pablo Vineyard thrives in a region Vinous called a “jewel” of the Uco Valley. This microclimate boasts some of the area’s coolest growing conditions—thanks to its soaring, snow-capped setting—bringing a strikingly fresh edge to balance the ripe, dark fruit born of generous sunshine. San Pablo’s proximity to the Portillo Ridge refreshes the vines, which grow in limestone-rich soils, with chilly air from the mountains.

The 2018 vintage was especially kind to the area, blessing it with “nearly ideal growing conditions,” in the words of Wine Spectator. A dry summer with cold nights kept the Malbec in perfect balance as it ripened. 

The resulting wine’s richness and complexity make it perfectly at home at the MICHELIN-starred of L’Atelier Miami, where it’s paired with Le Short Ribs—a magical combination of foie gras, short ribs, and cabbage. But it’s also perfect with a simple steak off of the grill or a slow-smoked pork shoulder, as well.