Marcelo Pelleriti learned oenology from Michel Rolland, the Bordeaux consultant who shaped modern wine across 13 countries. After mastering the craft in Pomerol and earning international acclaim, Pelleriti returned to Argentina with a mission.

He wanted to show what ancient Argentine vines could do when treated with Bordeaux-level precision.

These La Consulta vines were already 97 years old when Pelleriti started his own winery in 2007. They grow in poor soils of sand, clay, and round river rocks, with just 1.2 meters of topsoil before hitting bedrock. Daytime and nighttime temperatures swing 14 degrees Celsius for most of the year. Pure Andean snowmelt provides the only irrigation. 

The name “1853” honors the year Michel Pouget brought Malbec from France to Argentina. Those original plantings spread across the Uco Valley and eventually supplied France with new Malbec cuttings after phylloxera devastated their vineyards. 

The vines are so old and gnarled they produce tiny clusters of thick-skinned berries. Two plants yield just over one kilogram of fruit: enough for one bottle. The result is an intensely black-fruited, pure, poised Malbec with the kind of concentration and length that can only come from centenarian vines. The price-to-quality ratio doesn’t get better anywhere in the world.

Why You'll Love It

• Ancient vines at altitude. At 3,300 feet, wind and UV radiation thickens the grape skins, while cool nights preserve acidity. You get power without heaviness, richness without cooked flavors. Combine this with the parsimonious yields of vines planted during the Taft administration, and you have the makings of a profound wine.

• Winemaking pedigree. An early protégé of superstar enologist Michel Rolland, Marcelo Pelleriti is a crackerjack winemaker. This isn't some corporate Malbec cranked out by the millions of cases. It's made by a guy who shepherds two prestigious Pomerol estates in Bordeaux. His 2010 Château La Violette matched Petrus’ 100-point score in The Wine Advocate.
  

• At $21 for six bottles, this is the lowest price in the country for a 95-point Malbec from vines this old. This wine won’t last.

How to Serve It

• Decant for one hour and serve at 60°F in Bordeaux stems.

• Drink now through 2029. 

• Dream pairing: Argentine parrillada, featuring grilled ribeyes, plump chorizos, and a salad of avocado and hearts of palm in lime-garlic vinaigrette.