JESSICA MANN is sold on the tender cuts and smooth vintages of The Fishes’ Argentina night.

When you think of Argentina, a few things immediately come to mind – Eva Peron, the Andes, and tango. You should add beef and wine to that list. Argentina has some of the highest-quality cuts of beef in the world.

Its grass-fed cattle produce some fantastically succulent meat. Similarly, their wines are a new world rival to some of the most interesting European vinos. This month you can experience both at The Fishes in North Hinksey.

Under the guidance of general manager Katie Robertson, a plucky Australian with a winning smile, The Fishes has brought back its steak and wine night, with an Argentinian theme.

Their wine buyer, Jo Eames, was sent to Argentina and tried more than 300 wines to find the perfect accompaniment to select steaks on the menu so I had to go and test her favourites.

Jo handed me a glass of white wine. “Taste this, it’s one of my favourites. This was the first wine I tasted on my trip to Argentina and I haven’t stopped drinking it since.”

It was a Crios Torrontes 2009 by Susana Balbo. It was floral and fresh with hints of citrus, mineral and would go perfectly with the soft-shell crab I was eyeing on the menu.

As this was a steak and wine night, I couldn’t just stop with a seafood salad ... I had to sink my teeth into some meat. The first cut I tasted was a 28-day dry-aged flat iron from ... Scotland. All right, not all the beef on the menu was Argentinian. It was very savoury, if slightly chewy. The wine I happened to be drinking then was Felino Malbec 2008 by Vina Cobos. It was the only 100 per cent malbec on the menu. It’s a sophisticated wine that is not overly powerful, but still full-flavoured.

And yet, I wasn’t sure if this was the right wine for that meat. I sampled another cut, a fillet from Argentina, and found the perfect match.

The two complemented each other perfectly. The medium-rare fillet was tender and juicy and so supple a baby could eat it. The Felino went perfectly without overpowering the delicate beef.

Next up, an Aberdeenshire rib-eye. This cut had the flavour of the flat iron, but the tenderness of the fillet – the best piece of meat of the night. With this tasting, a new wine was brought out: the Amauta by El Porvenir.

Amauta is from a small family-run winery in the remote region of Salta, which boasts the highest vineyard in the world at more than 3,000 metres. Argentinians call it “the place the devil lost his poncho”.

What makes this wine interesting is the blending of malbec grapes with cabernet sauvignon and syrah.

After dinner I asked Jo how she was able to choose just four wines out of 300. “I had a deliberate policy for this trip.” Jo responded, “Everyone thinks of Malbec when they think of Argentina; I wanted to show that they (wine makers in Argentina) can do more. I was looking for something that wouldn’t blow your head away and trample over all the food.”

I think she’s succeeded.

There are only two more nights to enjoy the Argentinian revolution – March 24 and 31. Be sure to book as space is limited. Call 01865 249796. The Fishes, North Hinksey Village, Oxford, fishesoxford.co.uk