🇦🇷 Marcelo Pelleriti Signature Malbec 2021

This is the Malbec you bring when you want people to shut up for a second and pay attention. Uco Valley fruit, French oak time, and Marcelo Pelleriti doing what he does best: making “serious” taste stupidly easy to drink. 

Wine Description 

Marcelo Pelleriti Signature Malbec 2021 is a high-altitude Mendoza red from the Uco Valley that hits the sweet spot between polished and alive. It starts with a cool maceration, gets hands-on treatment in fermentation, then spends time in French oak before it’s released, so you get structure without the stiff collar.

Marcelo Pelleriti isn’t just a name on the label, he’s the winemaker, and the receipts are global. Wine Enthusiast calls this 2021 “balanced and versatile,” and if you like your Malbec with finesse instead of syrup, you’re in the right place. 

Vine-to-Table: Meet the Winemaker

Marcelo Pelleriti is a Mendoza-born winemaker who was trained and mentored by Michel Rolland, and he works on both sides of the Atlantic. One headline-making detail that actually matters: he received a perfect 100-point Robert Parker score for Château La Violette 2010 in Pomerol, which is a nice way of saying he’s not guessing. 

The Vibe 

Argentinian confidence, not Argentinian chaos. This is the bottle for steak-night, date-night, or “I’m not cooking but I’m still trying” night, when you want the glass to feel plush and smooth, with enough lift to keep you coming back. 

What it tastes like

Dark fruit and spice energy with a velvety texture, backed by tannins that behave. Expect peppery lift, ripe cherry vibes, and a finish that stays juicy instead of drying you out. 

Pairing + When to drink it 

Give it anything off a grill, especially steak or burgers, and it will do the whole “Argentina” thing without yelling about it. Drink now with a quick decant if you want it extra silky, or stash it if you like your Malbec a little more savory with time. 

Quick Specs 

• Producer: Pelleriti Priore (Marcelo Pelleriti)

• Winemaker: Marcelo Pelleriti 

• Region/Appellation: Uco Valley, Mendoza Province, Argentina

• Grapes: 100% Malbec 

• Vintage: 2021 

• Winemaking/Aging: 10-day cold maceration at 8°C, controlled fermentation with hand pigeage, malolactic in barrels; 80% aged 12 months in French oak (2nd/3rd use) plus 6 months bottle storage

• ABV: 14.5% 

• Bottle size: 750 ml

Critic Reviews

• Jesica Vargas, Wine Enthusiast: 91 points, reviewed vintage: 2021, issue date: 4/1/2025. Excerpt: “balanced and versatile… aromas of peppercorn and sweet cherries.” 

• Zekun Shuai, JamesSuckling.com: 95 points, reviewed vintage: 2021, date: 1/8/2024. Excerpt: “serious malbec… blueberries and herbs.” 

• Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous: 92 points, reviewed vintage: 2021, date: Sep 2023. Excerpt: “hails from La Consulta… aged for 12 months in oak barrels.” 

FAQs 

Q: Why does Uco Valley matter for Marcelo Pelleriti Signature Malbec 2021?
A: Uco Valley is high-altitude Mendoza, and Wines of Argentina notes vineyards there sit above 1,000 meters above sea level, which helps preserve freshness even when the fruit gets fully ripe. That’s why Malbec from here can feel plush without getting sleepy. 

Q: What’s the specific origin inside Uco Valley for this 2021 vintage?
A: Vinous reports the 2021 Marcelo Pelleriti Signature Malbec hails from La Consulta in the Uco Valley. If you like Malbec that leans savory and polished, that detail is not random trivia, it’s the whole point. 

Q: What’s the “Signature” winemaking recipe on this bottle?
A: The producer sales sheet calls for a 10-day cold maceration at 8°C, controlled fermentation with hand pigeage, and malolactic fermentation in barrels. Then 80% of the wine spends 12 months in French oak (2nd/3rd use) plus 6 months in bottle before release. 

Q: Who is Miguel Priore, and why is his name tied to this wine?
A: The technical sheet lists the winegrowers as Marcelo Pelleriti and Miguel Priore, the long-time partners behind Pelleriti Priore. Their story starts with meeting while Miguel worked at a French-owned winery where Marcelo was Winemaking Director. 

Q: What’s one verified “wait, what” fact about Marcelo Pelleriti’s career?
A: A 2013 press release states Marcelo Pelleriti received a perfect Robert Parker score for Château La Violette 2010 in Pomerol, France. So yes, the guy behind your Malbec has played on the Bordeaux big stage too.