In its relatively short history, Achaval Ferrer has become a bona fide star of the Argentinian wine firmament, with its single-vineyard ‘Finca’ cuvées in particular attracting something of a cult following. These are serious yet sensual wines that marry classic concentration with rare nuance to challenge the stereotype of Mendoza Malbec. The brand was the dream of Santiago Achaval, who found himself more interested in Cabernet than accountancy when studying in California in the 1980s. Convinced that the wines of his Argentinian homeland could rival those of the Golden State, he determined to find the perfect sites back in Mendoza from which to do so. That meant vineyards up to a century old, with ungrafted, seemingly disease-resistant vines that could be cropped at lower yields for extra concentration and more complex flavours. His hunch proved right when the debut Malbec, the 1999 Finca Altamira, became the first Argentinian wine to be awarded five stars by Decanter magazine. The other, equally small-volume, single-vineyard Malbecs, from Finca Bella Vista and Finca Mirador, have joined Finca Altamira in a now celebrated trilogy, while the Quimera Bordeaux blend has recently been joined by an equally characterful white counterpart made from Chardonnay, Semillon and Viognier.