When the New World first began to disrupt the hegemony of Old World wine, among the viticultural reasons it was a clever marketing decision to have a varietal calling card. Forgive the massive generalisations here but, largely, New Zealand had its Sauvignon Blanc, Australia its Shiraz, South Africa produced Pinotage. For the unfamiliar drinker, it helped to have a specific way in. Today, there’s an argument that all of those countries produce finer wines from other grape varieties, but one New World producer has been slower to significantly branch out. For much of the world, Argentinian wine means one thing – Malbec.
But that doesn’t really tell the story. Over the past 15 years, Argentinian producers have been increasingly putting their hands to lighter, fresher styles of wines and today we’re several vintages into the country’s white wine revolution.
“Malbec put Argentina on the map. Argentina is Malbec. But it’s also so much more than Malbec,” says Ana Lovaglio Balbo, marketing director at Susana Balbo Wines. “My mother was ahead of her time on this. Almost 15 years ago she recognised that global wine consumption was already split pretty evenly between reds and whites, yet Argentina was exporting about 90% reds and just 10% whites.
“She truly believed Argentina had the potential to make world-class whites and, over time, that decision has paid off. There’s growing interest in white wines from Argentina, and we’re proud to be at the forefront of that movement. I’d say that interest spans all styles, from fresh, light wines to more complex, age-worthy whites. That shift aligns perfectly well with what we’ve been building as a winery: crafting whites for all palates, always staying true to our identity, which is defined by our obsession with quality and attention to detail in every single bottle. Now, our production is currently around 40% white wines, and that number has been growing steadily over the past decade.”
A 2023 report by the Organisation of Vine & Wine (OIV) corroborates this observation. Since its lowest point at the turn of the millennium, white wine consumption has increased by 10% with the category accounting for 43% of global consumption in 2021. Those gains have to come from somewhere and so naturally, red wine has moved in the opposite direction. Since its consumption peak in 2007, red wine drinking fell by 15% in less than 15 years.
“Compared to 2019, exports of Argentinian white wines, especially in the higher price brackets, are up about 40-50%,” says Laura Catena, fourth-generation vintner and managing director of Catena Zapata, which was named the Most Admired Wine Brand in the World in the 2025 edition of the Drinks International report.
“Of those, Semillon and Chenin Blanc have grown the most, albeit starting from a small base. Chardonnay is still the leading export variety and has grown by about 40% between 2019 and 2025. White blends have grown 89% and Torrontes 27%, but Sauvignon Blanc exports are down by 20% in the same period.”
Steady growth
It seems the world is ready to accept Argentina as more than just the home of big reds and even in the domestic Argentinian market, which has shown strong favour for heavy reds for a generation, is now seeking out lighter styles.
“[In Argentina], Malbec is still the dominant variety, but white wines and lighter red wines and rosé are steadily growing,” says Pablo Naumann, creative office director for Catena and Catena Zapata.
“The heavy and ultra-concentrated reds that were popular in the ’90s are losing favour and fresher and more elegant reds have grown significantly. Consumers are also showing high interest in the terroir-driven wines. Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay are still reigning, but Pinot Noir, Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc and particularly Criolla are growing in their demand. Also, a special mention to natural and low and no-alcohol wines, which are starting a growing trend in Argentina, especially among younger consumers.”
And for Argentinian producers, winning over the domestic market is imperative.
“The domestic market has always been very important for Argentina, around 80% of national wine production is consumed locally,” says Lovaglio Balbo.
“While some producers are concerned about the decline in per capita wine consumption, I think it’s important to put that into perspective. What we’re seeing now is not so much a drop in interest, but a shift in behaviour. Consumers are actively seeking higher-quality wines and showing a growing curiosity for new styles, grape varieties, and winemaking approaches. Argentina is no exception to the global white wine revolution. In fact, today half of our wine sales in Argentina are white – something hard to imagine just a few years ago.”
It’s not like Argentina doesn’t have the space to diversify. The eighth-largest country in the world is a viticultural dream with almost any climate imaginable to be found between its desert north and glacial south. Unsurprisingly then, there’s no shortage of grape varieties for vintners to chose from.
“I still love high-altitude Chardonnay the most – it’s crisp, f loral and slightly creamy because of the sun and stony calcareous soils,” says Catena. “It has the capacity to age, which is unexpected to some people who don’t realise that our high-altitude mountain vineyards are in what is classified as cool climate.
“Semillon and Chenin Blanc are widely planted in Mendoza and are traditionally used to blend with each other into a classic blend. We bottle a blend of Semillon and Chenin under our Catena Appellation White Clay and it is selling very well.”
But one grape variety has perhaps the strongest chance of becoming Argentina’s new Malbec.
“Torrontés is the clearest example,” says Lovaglio Balbo. “It’s our native grape and has historically been underestimated, mostly used in white blends or simple table wines. But my mother saw its potential for something more serious early in her career. She started working with Torrontés in Cafayate, Salta, in the far north of Argentina, where vines grow at around 1,700m above sea level in some of the most extreme and remote conditions you can imagine. Since then, she’s dedicated her career to unlocking the full potential of the variety, she developed her own unique and unmistakable style for Torrontés, one that ultimately earned her the nickname the Queen of Torrontés.”
The brand power behind Argentinian Malbec, particularly from Mendoza, is among the strongest in the wine world. And while it’s practically the sole reason for the region’s ascent to one of the most respected producing countries on the globe, it as an albatross that has been hung around the neck of the country’s other wines. But the world has changed, red is out, fresh is in and, while modern Malbec has acidity and florality, for many consumers it’ll always play the role of the bold, steak-accompanying heavyweight that the grape does so well.
And that’s fine – Malbec can still be all of those things and modern takes on the variety are still the jewels in Argentina’s crown. But as the consumer increasingly looks for lighter, brighter options, Argentina is now fully equipped to be there with quality as well.