Purple teeth alert: if you’re planning on sampling the vinous wares of the 36 Argentine wineries pouring at the 32nd annual Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, which runs April 19 to 25, be ready for serious dental purplification. All thos

Purple teeth alert: if you’re planning on sampling the vinous wares of the 36 Argentine wineries pouring at the 32nd annual Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, which runs April 19 to 25, be ready for serious dental purplification. All those Malbecs will do your teeth in for sure.

In our customary selflessness, the panel and I have tasted nine as a teaser, all from the cheap end, starting at nine bucks and rising in $1 increments. Then, as a reward, we tossed back a little $50 number. Seven of the nine wineries whose corks we popped will be pouring in the International Festival Tasting Room; only Marcus James and Finca Los Primos aren’t scheduled to be here.

That leaves another 190 wines for you to discover without my help; be steadfast.

Marcus James Malbec 2009 ($8.99)
This is the cheapest one we could find, and it provides outstanding value. Mellow, if a little mushy, but if you serve it at the end of the night, everyone will love it. Like most of these, it seems made for cheese: that Austrian kuhkaese Urban Fare claims to have a hammerlock on, or some old Manchego. Surprisingly tasty, given the price.

Humberto Canale Diego Murillo Malbec 2009 ($9.99)
For a dollar more, this is lighter and even skimpier than the Marcus James, but the freshness is appealing. Not one for cheese, but chill it a little and serve it with halibut and dill spring chowder.

Finca Los Primos Malbec 2009 ($10.99)
The back label describes it as “an easy drinking, straight up Malbec”, and that it is—soft and sexy, with lots of fresh black cherry smells and flavours. A delicious everyday wine, and one of the top three here.

Trapiche Varietals Malbec 2009 ($11.99)
Roasty-rich, spicy, and full, we’re back to cheese and Terra Breads’ caraway rye, empanadas, or pizza and pasta. One of the bigger ones in this lineup.

Finca Flichman Misterio Malbec Oak-Aged 2008 ($12.99)
Everybody liked this one a lot, for its smooth softness. No great “mystery” here: it’s a great table wine with a little sweet violet and sturdy tannins from the well-balanced oak. It’s time to learn to love Argentine Malbecs before the designer winemakers get at them; they’re bound to be on their way. Here’s one to make your barbecue house-and-deck wine.

Pascual Toso Malbec 2008 ($13.99)
We’ve been enjoying this one for a few vintages already. It got gold at the 2009 International Wine Challenge, and you can taste why. It’s more complex than most of the preceding, with coffee and blackberry aromas and flavours. Stylish and quite elegant, it’s less rustic than the others so far, and might suit more elaborate dishes better. Goes great with green tagliarini with sauce made from Bel Paese, Fontina, Gorgonzola, Parmesan, cream, and butter, if your doctor lets you do that sort of thing!

Dona Paula Los Cardos Malbec 2008 ($14.99)
Another one that has become a dinnertime favourite over the last year. Lots of cloves and cinnamon, along with other big spices and a bright Welch’s colour. Someone put “aromas of cigar box” on the back label. Really? When’s the last time you sniffed a cigar box? Or a cigar? But that spice cupboard bite is tantalizing and would work well with all kinds of food, from curries to Christmas pudding.

Bodegas Renacer Punto Final Malbec 2008 ($15.99)
While the bright orange plastic cork doesn’t inspire initial confidence, once the glass was full we were hooked. Made from 50-year-old vines, it’s unfiltered and thick, as well as slightly murky, but the flavours are all well integrated, the tannins nice and easy. An all-around class act. Fun to sip after dinner and well into the night.

Escorihuela 1884 Reservado Malbec 2007 ($16.99)
This is the one for the dolcelatte Gorgonzola or the Roquefort or the Stilton; any pungent blue cheese will take to this soft, lighter Malbec. It’s so versatile, you could do it with lemon, onion, and rosemary-stuffed roast chicken too, or pork chops with blackberry conserve. Or anything you feel like.

Dona Paula Seleccion de Bodega Malbec 2005 ($49.99)
That’s where we stopped in the ascending-by-a-buck tasting, because we couldn’t find one for $17.99. Instead, we found this one. It isn’t the most expensive Argentine Malbec currently listed in B.C.—that distinction is reserved for a label called Achaval Ferrer Finca Mirador, clocking in at $89.99—but it’s certainly the costliest I’ve tasted so far. There’s a terrific aroma to start, hinting at fresh forest mushrooms, white pepper, blue- and blackberries, plus a super-soft follow-through with mellow tannins and style and elegance showcasing an endless finish. Lovely, lovely wine. But”¦I can get five Marcus Jameses for that and still make rent. Like with everything else, it’s all relative. But hey, if somebody else is buying, I’m drinking.

So here’s the three-star selection. (That last one doesn’t count, on account of its steep price.)

1. Finca Los Primos

2. Marcus James, Finca Flichman Misterio (tied)

3. Bodegas Renacer, Pascual Toso, Doña Paula Los Cardos (tied)

We made a general observation that there really wasn’t a wine in the tasting we didn’t like—that’s pretty impressive batting.

Enjoy tasting your way through all the Argentine wines in the festival.