RAISE a glass

Oh, rush away, rush away, cold air, wet days and chilly nights. The early weeks of any year seem to move so slowly, as they tippety-toe towards spring.

But I’m not fretting if a glass of red is poured, the curtains are closed and the heating is on (I’m sure my purse will regret the latter soon enough).

As I type, it’s Saturday evening and I’ve had a chunky steak and a delicious spoon or two of traditional chimichurri sauce.

And the reason we’re here? Well of course I also sipped a glass of Argentinian malbec. It would have been rude not to.

gaia Malbec (£16.99, reduced to £11.99 at Waitrose until February 22) is a wine I can happily describe as “chunky” with ripe black fruits and a depth which is robust, darkly fruity and moreish.

The wine is organic – no surprise there as it is crafted by Domaine Bousquet, Argentina’s leading organic winery. The bottle label pays tribute to the Ancient Greek Earth Goddess, Gaia – to acknowledge the role the earth plays in winemaking.

It was a smashing, warming wine in the dark depths of February.

I’ll stay in Argentina for a surprise of a grape variety from that region: cabernet franc.

The grape is a native of Bordeaux and is often in the shadows as a worthy component in a blend. Yet in this wine Found Cabernet Franc 2019 (£10, Marks & Spencer) the grape is very much centre stage.

The vines are found at altitude in the Andes in the Uco Valley in Argentina. It means the grapes show freshness and vibrancy in the glass. Those sensations contrast nicely against ripe hedgerow fruits, vanilla and a hint of chocolate.

My last red to lift you in these dark times is Warwick the First lady Cabernet sauvignon (£8, Tesco)

which is a juicy, rewarding, hug of a South African wine for the price.

I spoke to the winemaker JD Pretorius over a Zoom call; and almost two years’ on from first using this form of communication, it doesn’t cease to thrill me that I can ask real-time questions from thousands of miles away.

After the wine is made, JD ages it in old oak for 18 months to create a sip that has an essence of vanilla and spice, but not overpowering. It’s a soft, plum-fruited, comforting wine.

Jane is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers. Find her on social media and online as One Foot in the Grapes.