30 Apr Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Trivento 2023 Reserve White Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina

I’ve always been fascinated by white wines made from red grapes. They often capture the aromatics of their red counterparts, but with the texture and freshness of a white wine. So when I spotted a bottle labeled “White Malbec,” I was immediately intrigued. Malbec is known for its deep, inky color, so I expected the wine to have at least a hint of pink or purple. Instead, the liquid inside was crystal clear, almost like water or vodka. I assumed it would taste as bland as it looked. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. The wine burst with vibrant aromatics and lively acidity, surprising me in the best way. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it, which is why the Trivento 2023 Reserve White Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina is the Please The Palate Wine of the Week.

About Malbec

Malbec arrived in Argentina in 1853, when French agronomist Michel Aimé Pouget brought Bordeaux varieties to the country, a moment now celebrated every April 17th as Malbec World Day. Although it started in France, Malbec has truly thrived in Argentina’s mountains for nearly 200 years. Today, Malbec is grown across 17 provinces, and because Argentina never had to battle phylloxera like other countries, the Malbec vines are on their own rootstock. Altitude plays a big part as the higher you go, the cooler it gets and the more sunlight the grapes soak up, leading to thicker skins, bold flavors, robust tannins, and lively acidity.

About Bodega Trivento

Trivento was founded in 1996 and takes its name from the “three winds” — the Polar, Zonda, and Sudestada — that sweep across Mendoza’s vineyards. The winery is part of the Concha y Toro family, one of the most recognized wine groups in the Southern Hemisphere. Trivento focuses on expressing the diversity of Mendoza’s terroir, with vineyards ranging from the sun-baked plains to the cool, high-altitude foothills of the Andes. Trivento was the first winery in Argentina to create a white wine version of Malbec and the first release was the 2022 vintage. It was the idea of Bodega Trivento winemaker Maximiliano Ortiz who began experimenting with the idea in 2018.

Tasting Notes

For the White Malbec, the grapes are harvested earlier than they would be for a red wine. They are immediately pressed to separate the juice from the skins, and during fermentation, oxygen is introduced to strip away any remaining color. The result is a wine so crystal-clear, it could easily be mistaken for water. But the appearance is deceiving. On the nose, the wine bursts with aromas of green apple, strawberries, and cherries. On the palate, it is lively and fresh, with zesty acidity and even a subtle grip of tannin, giving it texture and structure.

Food Pairing

I enjoyed the Trivento White Malbec this past week at a Malbec World Day Celebration Dinner at Carlitos Gardel, hosted by the Consulate of Argentina and Wines of Argentina. It was paired with the first course: house-made ricotta and spinach malfatti ñoqui in a rich tomato-cream sauce. To my surprise, the wine was an outstanding match for the dish. Its texture was substantial enough to stand up to the richness of the sauce, while the vibrant acidity cut through the creaminess and complemented the tomato’s natural brightness. It was an incredible pairing, made all the more memorable because, based on the wine’s crystal-clear appearance, I hadn’t expected such a dynamic showing.

Where To Purchase

The Trivento 2023 Reserve White Malbec retails for $11 and can be found in many wine retailers around the country. Visit Wine-Searcher to find a retailer near you.