World Cup of Wines: We pick two final-worthy wines from Spain and Argentina

It’s the hope that kills you. Every time.

French and English hopes dashed and broken after two confounding, astounding and upending semi-finals.

Flashy France disarmed and despatched by a clinical Spain. Dogged England discouraged and diminished by a no-holds-barred Argentina.

While France and England will face off for the third-place match on Saturday we’ve decided not to give wine pairings for what is a rather flat and unloved affair.

All the focus, rightfully, is on just two teams – our finalists, and brilliant wine producing nations both.

It’s also an all hispanophone final, something that hasn’t happened since the very first World Cup final in 1930 when Uruguay played Argentina (and Uruguay won 4-2).

In these circumstances, only the very best will do. Ines and Julie, our last editors standing, have selected two World Cup final-worthy wines from each country.

Whoever you’re cheering on come Sunday, make sure you have a glass of something suitably epic to go with it.

¡Vamos!

Ines: Spain

Spain: If you, like me, grew up with the brilliant Asterix comic books you’ll be familiar with the ‘Ils sont fous, ces Romains!’ exclamation and Obelix’s larger-than-life strength.

Well, well, well… seems like it was the Spanish players’ turn to fall into the Getafix’s potion and ward off the French invasion.

La Roja unearthed all the precision and effectiveness it needed to neutralise France’s Napoleonic luck.

Unlike other World Cup contenders, it is a team that hasn’t relied on blinding star power alone.

Meanwhile, the French were stunned when confronted with the realisation that – excusez-moi – the whole thing ain’t that easy.

Spain now needs to muster even more strength and presence of mind as it prepares to face an archenemy, Argentina, in the final. Popcorn out fellas!

It’s the tender-fleshed Lamine Yamal against veteran Lionel Messi. It’s the former empire against the former colony. Yikes.

Argentina’s grit – perhaps even more so than its technique – is something to be reckoned with.

Spanish players might want to look at Rioja’s own Obelix-like Arturo and Kike de Miguel, the brothers – big in both size and talent – behind Artuke.

Their wines were the highest-scoring at this year’s Rioja Report.

Among them, La Condenada (the condemned) is a show of elegant rusticity from a nearly forgotten, abandoned old vine that shows that excellence needs perseverance and focus and can often be found when and where you least expect it.

Julie: Argentina

Argentina: Can anything stop the reigning champions? Following a dramatic and politically charged semi-final against England, Argentina meets Spain for the final showdown of the tournament.

Surprisingly, for two teams that regularly qualify for the latter stages of the World Cup, they haven’t played each other in a tournament match since 1966.

That was in a group game at Villa Park, when England was the host nation, and Argentina won the match 2-1.

Whether history will repeat itself remains to be seen. If it does, Argentina will become the first back-to-back World Cup winner since fellow South Americans Brazil took the 1958 and 1962 titles.

Previously only Italy had achieved a similar double, winning in 1934 and 1938. The history books are waiting…

The final showdown of the tournament calls for an award-winning wine: step forward Argentina’s Best in Show at Decanter World Wine Awards 2026.

Rutini Wines Single Vineyard Malbec 2023 comes from high-altitude Gualltallary, close to Tupungato in the Uco Valley.

Judges loved the way it ‘expressed the wild nature of Gualltallary’, with an intense palate packed with ‘high-drama fresh fruits which seethe and cascade across the palate in best mountain style’.