Malbec has found its place in the American wine market and Argentina has clearly earned some real respect from Valley wine lovers. Argentinian Malbecs can be found on nearly every major restaurant wine list in our area due to its excellent price / quality ratio and its ability to pair up with steaks and other bolder menu options. Independent wine shops and grocery store chains have also seen greater demand for Malbec. As a result, there are more Argentinian wines on the shelves on local stores than ever before.

The best thing about Argentinian Malbec is that you don't have to spend a lot of money to get wines of high quality. There are many excellent values out there right now. Most of them hail from the Mendoza region. Here's a look at five you can try for under $25:

Aranwa Malbec - Big and bold with hefty spice components a long finish ($15-20)

Familia Mayol Malbec - Dark fruit and peppery hints well integrated ($20-$25)

Santa Julia Organic Malbec - More fruit forward in style, lush and ripe ($18)

Red Diamond Malbec - Excellent balance of plum / cherry fruit and earhy spice ($18)

Graffigna Malbec - Perhaps the best value of the five with excellent structure ($12)

All of these wines are available in our Valley. If you don't see them on your favorite wine list or store shelf, just ask the manager and they can easily get them for you. Malbec works great with steaks on the grill so grab a few bottles to enjoy during the summer coookout season. Yoy'll be glad you did!