As the cold, harsh Argentine winter gives way to the colour of spring in the south, up north, the air begins to cool as the autumn season approaches and palates shift toward the warmth and richness of robust red wines. If you’re seeking the perfect wines to accompany crisp evenings and hearty meals, look no further than the exquisite, award-winning offerings of Fabre Montmayou, one of Argentina’s most celebrated wineries. With vineyards in both Mendoza and Patagonia, Fabre Montmayou has established itself as a beacon of quality and innovation in the world of Argentine wine, particularly with their award-winning red wines that are perfect for the upcoming fall season.

Founded by French winemaker Hervé Joyaux Fabre, Fabre Montmayou is a unique blend of French heritage and Argentine terroir in a journey that encompasses passion, dedication as well as impeccable craftsmanship. From the sun-soaked vineyards of Mendoza to the windswept plains of Patagonia, Fabre Montmayou’s red wines are a true expression of Argentina’s diverse landscapes and climates, making them an essential choice for your fall wine collection.

A native of Bordeaux, France Hervé Joyaux Fabre began Fabre Montmayou in the early 1990s, drawn to Argentina by the promise of its terroir and the potential of its Malbec grapes. At the time, Malbec was an underappreciated varietal, often used as a blending grape in Bordeaux; however, Hervé saw in Argentina’s high-altitude vineyards a new home for Malbec, a place where it could flourish and reveal its full potential as a standalone wine.

What sets this winery apart is the founder’s commitment to producing wines with Old World elegance and New World vibrancy, achieved by combining French winemaking techniques with Argentina’s exceptional grape-growing conditions. The result is a portfolio of wines that are complex, refined, and unmistakably Argentine. Mendoza, the country’s most famous wine region, is known globally for its high-altitude vineyards that sit at the foothills of the Andes Mountains. Its climatic conditions of intense sunlight, cool mountain breezes, and alluvial soils are perfectly suited for growing grapes that eventually produce bold, structured red wines. Fabre Montmayou’s vineyards in Mendoza are primarily planted with Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, grapes that thrive in this unique climate.

Fabre Montmayou’s Malbec is the flagship wine of the winery and a quintessential expression of the Mendoza region, its deep colour, ripe fruit flavours, and velvety tannins, becoming synonymous with Argentine wine. Their Malbec offers layers of black cherry, plum, and blackberry, with hints of spice and violet that give the wine an elegant complexity. While Malbec may be the star of Mendoza, the bodega’s Cabernet Sauvignon is another standout red known for its bold tannins, rich flavours in a robust yet elegant varietal. With notes of blackcurrant, dark chocolate, and tobacco, all wrapped up in a firm structure, this wine ages beautifully making it perfect for the fall season.

While Mendoza is known for its sun-drenched vineyards, Patagonia, located in the southernmost wine-growing region of Argentina, offers a striking contrast offering a cooler climate, strong winds, and lower altitude. This unique terroir gives Fabre Montmayou’s wines from this region a different profile, one that is more restrained, with a focus on finesse and elegance rather than sheer power. One of the winery’s beloved red wines from vineyards in this region is the Pinot Noir, which is delicate yet full of character having notes of red berries, wild herbs, and a subtle earthiness. Despite having the reputation of being a challenging grape to grow, this varietal thrives in Patagonia’s cool climate, where the long growing season allows the grapes to develop complex flavours while retaining their bright acidity.

In the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards, wines from Fabre Montmayou were awarded more than 25 medals and in today’s Thursday Food, we introduce five of these medallists:

Fabre Montmayou Reserva Malbec, a bronze medal winner scoring 89 points, is made from 100 per cent Malbec grapes grown at the Vistalba, Luján de Cuyo vineyards in Mendoza. It is deep red in colour with violet tones, with a very intense aromatic bouquet expressing red cherry fruit and spices. The wine is complex and well balanced with vanilla and chocolate notes from the oak in addition to having sweet silky tannins.

Fabre Montmayou Gran Reserva Malbec, which also scored 89 points and earned for itself a bronze medal, is another 100 per cent varietal grown at the same vineyards in Vistalba. This Malbec is red in colour with shiny violet tones exhibiting a very complex and elegant bouquet of plenty of wild red fruits like blackberries and cherries, liquorice as well as delicate hints of flowers. On the palate, the wine shows a remarkable balance with very elegant, delicate and silky tannins.

Fabre Montmayou Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon is a 100 per cent varietal made from grapes grown at the winery’s Perdriel Vineyards which are also in the Lujan de Cuyo region of Mendoza. Scoring 90 points and earning a silver medal, the wine is an intense red colour with very good concentration on the nose, having aromas of dark blackberries and cassis fruits. In the mouth it is juicy, fruity and full-bodied with hints of coffee along with leather from the oak, resulting in a wine with silky tannins and a long finish.

Fabre Montmayou Reserva Cabernet Franc, a 92 point silver medal-winning vintage, is made from 100 per cent Cabernet Franc grapes grown in Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza. It has an intense red colour, is elegant on the nose and expresses red and black fruit aromas with hints of mint. This wine is fresh and well- balanced, ending in a long finish.

Fabre Montmayou’s Pinot Noir earned a silver in addition to scoring 93 points. This 100 per cent varietal has aromatic notes of violets, sour cherry, strawberry, raspberry and slightly herbal nuances. In the mouth, the wine’s silky tannins are harmonious on the palate with an elegant fruit concentration. Its bright ruby-red colour with violet reflections denotes its youth and freshness.

So, as you plan your fall wine selections, be sure to include a bottle (or two) from award-winning selections of Fabre Montmayou. Whether you’re savouring it with a meal, sharing it with friends, or simply enjoying a quiet evening with a glass in hand, these wines are sure to enhance your fall with every sip. Salud!