We drove for hours through the pristine landscape at the foot of the Andes. Last spring, we walked through old-vine Malbec vineyards with the Kaiken team, among riverbeds between the rows, rolling rocks, thyme, verbena and pleasant scents. You could feel the difference from the first words spoken over the poured wines: while at Montes they run through the varieties and blends at breakneck speed, at Kaiken they let the terroir take the lead in the wines, and almost everything is built around Malbec.

The heart of the selection, the indispensable Ultra Malbec, is born at an altitude of 1,250 metres, where the days are scorching hot, the nights are cool, and where the windy, rocky Uco Valley puts every vine to the test. The hand-harvested fruit was fermented in concrete vats, then aged for one year in used and first-fill barrels. Aromas of blackberry and violet, rich spiciness, rounded tannins and a warm, silky texture on the palate.