When you walk into a wine store and start browsing through the various California, Washington, Spain and France sections, you likely wonder to yourself, "How much does a particular region matter when choosing a wine?" The easy answer is different grape varietals grow better in different places, so if you're fond of one varietal, you’re likely to eventually find a favorite region to buy it from. 

In the past 10 years Malbec has become one of the most popular wines in the United States and has been fueling the growth of Argentine wine in the international market. The explosion of our Malbec market has shot Argentina into fifth place among the world’s largest wine producers, and, with double-digit annual growth rates in imports, Argentina has become the third-largest wine import in the United States.

Wine and cigars seem simple enough but often quickly confuse and alienate folks. Thankfully, it’s really not that complicated. A little chemistry 101 lesson and you will be good to go. It’s important to start with the components that make up cigars, then understand the components of wines. Once you know those two pieces of the puzzle, you’ll be able to decide which cigar would pair well with which wine.

Malbec is one of the six grapes allowed in the production of Bordeaux red wines. Its dark inky color and robust tannins are balanced by dark fruit flavors and herbal aromas. In its home country of France, Malbec has recently been used more as a blending grape, although with the success of the varietal in Argentina and elsewhere, it is coming back into its own.

Riesling, Gewürztraminer & Beaujolais Nouveau are often the wines suggested for pairing with a traditional Thanksgiving feast. But how about venturing into new territory? Try these suggestions from WineTable writer Jeff S. Cameron.