Argentina Marks World Malbec Day Amidst 70-Year Thai Friendship

 

The Argentine Embassy in Bangkok recently hosted its annual World Malbec Day celebrations for 2025, an event made all the more significant as it coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Argentina and Thailand.

 

Emphasising the role of food and drink as cultural bridges, the event showcased Argentina's flagship wine and its rich heritage.

 

As the ninth largest supplier of wine to Thailand, Argentina proudly promotes Malbec, a red-purple grape known for its thin skin, intense tannins, and need for ample sunshine and warmth.

 

Notably, Argentina is the world's leading producer and exporter of Malbec, cultivating a remarkable 75% of the globe's total yield.

 

This dominance has firmly established Malbec as Argentina's signature wine and a global emblem of its wine culture. The majority of Argentine Malbec originates from Mendoza, a central-western province renowned for its consistently bright weather and diverse terrain.

 

 

World Malbec Day, officially recognised on April 17th since its inception by Wines of Argentina in 2011, serves to bolster the wine's standing in the international market and to celebrate the achievements of Argentina's wine industry.

 

Currently the fifth largest producer and tenth largest exporter worldwide, the sector saw exports reach a substantial $933 million in 2024.
 

 

 

The date of World Malbec Day commemorates the pivotal moment in 1953 when Domingo F. Sarmiento, later to become Argentina's President, tasked French soil expert Michel Pouget with introducing various European grape varieties, including Malbec, to Mendoza.

 

Malbec thrived in Argentina's varied geography, outperforming its French counterparts. This success fuelled the Argentine wine industry's rapid growth from the late 1920s onwards, with Malbec becoming its undisputed champion.

 

Javier de Cicco, the Chargé d'Affaires ad interim at the Argentine Embassy in Thailand, underscored the particular importance of this year's World Malbec Day in Bangkok.

 

 

He noted that it forms part of the 70th anniversary celebrations of diplomatic ties, highlighting that Argentina was the first Latin American nation to establish formal relations with Thailand on February 2nd, 1955.

 

He remarked, "It wouldn't be wrong to say that Malbec wine is an ambassador for Argentina. I have travelled extensively and worked in many countries, and every single one celebrates Malbec Day. It's a way for people to learn about Argentina and is an integral part of our culture, as wine is part of our daily life."
 

 

 

This year's World Malbec Day event offered guests the opportunity to sample various Malbec wines and also featured a demonstration of tango, the iconic ballroom dance originating in Argentina in the late 19th century. Tango gained global popularity in the 20th century and has a notable following in Thailand, with numerous schools and dance groups across the country.

 

Beyond the wine and the dance, the Argentine Embassy is also scheduled to screen the film SO MUCH LOVE TO GIVE (“Corazón Loco”), directed by Marcos Carnevale, on May 25th at TK Park as part of the 2025 Contemporary World Film Series. These multifaceted celebrations truly mark the 70-year bond between Thailand and Argentina, symbolising a relationship that continues to flourish.