Easter Sunday happens to be World Malbec Day which is very apt considering how this beautiful bold red wine can serve as a lovely accompaniment to those chocolate eggs you’ll be unwrapping.

World Malbec Day was established in 2011 by Wines of Argentina (WOFA), an organisation promoting Argentinian wines abroad. Malbec is celebrated on 17 April each year, in commemoration of the day in 1853 when President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento made it his mission to transform Argentina’s wine industry.

The Malbec grape first burst onto the wine making scene in France but it has found its spiritual home in Argentina which now produces 75% of the world’s Malbec. Dry and full bodied with juicy jammy notes of blackberry and red plum, Malbec is one of the most accessible bold red wines to enjoy.

Here's our top three picks to enjoy this Easter Sunday.

Specially Selected Argentinian Malbec. Aldi, €8.29

This Malbec has a bit of a cult following and its easy to see why. It’s got good roots, coming from the much celebrated Uco Valley in Mendoza, the home of quality Malbec.

At €8.29 it is excellent value for money and yet it packs a punch of flavour. From that first sip, you’ll get those rich jammy flavours of blackberry and blueberry complimented by dark chocolate notes. You’ll pick up a gentle spice followed by smooth tannins, making this a wine that can be sipped on its own or enjoyed with an after-dinner cheese board.

Dona Paula Malbec. €15.99, SuperValu and selected Dunnes Stores.

Mendoza is a reliable location to see on the label of a bottle of Malbec but if you want to step things up a notch, look out for two important words-high altitude.

Those steep mountains have hot days and cool nights which slows down the ripening of the grapes so you get natural acidity, freshness and better aromatics which makes for a really interesting wine.

That’s certainly the case with Dona Paula Malbec where 90% of the grapes are sourced from their vineyards in Alluvia which is located 1350 meters above sea level. The result is a wine which has those signature black fruit flavours of plum and ripe blackberries at the forefront followed by some sweet vanilla, a little spice and a hint of oak.

The soft tannins add to a balanced and smooth finish. A lovely wine to enjoy with a steak dinner.

Terrazas de los Andes Malbec. €26.40. Dwan’s Ballycullen, World Wide Wines Waterford, The Wine Centre Kilkenny, Molloy’s Dublin, Joyce’s Galway and select SuperValu stores.

We’re spoiling you with another high-altitude wine. Terrazas Malbec 2019 is a blend of more than 100 parcels from six own vineyards located in the appellation along the valleys of Luján de Cuyo and Uco Valley.

The vineyards’ altitudes range from 1070 metres up to 1250 metres above sea level. This superb location is reflected in the wine which is bursting with rich blackberry, pops of plum and cherry.

Lovely sweetness comes across in the form of vanilla while a spicy finish is complimented by round tannins and a juicy finish. Ideal if you are serving up a beautiful roast rib of beef this Easter Sunday.

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