Kaiken Mai Mendoza Malbec 2021
£45.25
The wine
Mai is Kaiken's flagship, a single vineyard Malbec from the oldest vines in Luján de Cuyo. Powerful yet graceful, it is built for the cellar.
Lively garnet with ruby lights. Ripe strawberry, cherry, plum and raspberry are laced with tobacco, vanilla and nuts. Aromatic and complex, the palate is intense yet delicate, with balanced acidity and a long, elegant finish.
Reserve for prime cuts of beef, venison and truffle dishes. Decant well ahead and serve at cool room temperature.
The producer
Kaiken
View all Kaiken winesKaiken is one of Argentina's most admired estates, founded in Mendoza in 2002 by the legendary Chilean winemaker Aurelio Montes. Its name comes from the kaiken, the wild geese that cross the Andes between Chile and Argentina, just as Montes himself did in search of Mendoza's potential. Named New World Producer of the Year at the 2024 Sommelier Wine Awards, it is now proudly B Corp certified.
The estate vineyards lie in the heart of Mendoza and higher still in the Uco Valley, where limestone soils and altitudes above 1,200 metres bring freshness and precision. Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon are the focus, including rare old vine Cabernet in Vistalba, Luján de Cuyo, first planted in 1910. Farming is sustainable and increasingly done by hand.
The range climbs from the everyday Clásico and single district Terroir Series to the polished Ultra wines and beyond. At the summit sits Mai, a powerful Malbec from century old vines, alongside Disobedience, a red blend created with chef Francis Mallmann, and an elegant traditional method sparkling from high Gualtallary.
Kaiken's wines marry ripe Andean fruit with structure, freshness and a genuine sense of altitude. They are generous yet refined, and they age with grace. This is modern Argentine wine at its most complete.
