Originating in France, but made popular by Argentina, Malbec wines are loved for their rich dark fruit flavors & smooth chocolately finish. It a red that doesn't have a particularly long finish, making it a great choice with leaner red meats & heavier cheeses like blue cheese.
Malbec is native to Cahors in southwest France and was once one of the most widely planted grapes in France. Even today, Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) regulations for Cahors wines require a minimum content of 70% Malbec. It's also one of the six grapes used to create red Bordeaux blends, alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Carmenère. But along came the devastation of phylloxera and then the Great Frost of 1956.
Phylloxera is famous as the pest that destroyed vast areas of European vineyards in the 19th century. The Great Frost of 1956 was catastrophic for vines as temperatures plunged from 25°C in the daytime to -17°C at night. The frost wiped out most of the vineyards on both banks of Bordeaux and its surrounding areas overnight.
Malbec was replanted in Cahors and continued to be popular in that area, but its poor resistance to weather, diseases and pests meant it was not the varietal of choice in other areas. Many growers favoured the more reliable Merlot or Cabernets instead. Furthermore, the traditional tannic expressions of Malbec from southwest France was quite unapproachable to new consumers. All of these factors led to the declining popularity of Malbec and was why it never achieved the global stature that other grape varietals from France did.
TASTE PROFILE
Malbec produces a full-bodied and deep coloured red wine known for its ripe plum flavours and notes of dark fruit such as blackberries and dark cherry. Thanks to its dark and inky colour, Malbec earned itself the nickname "Black Wine". It's classic tell is in it's looks, giving off a bright magenta rim & opaque purple color.
WINEGROWING ORIGINS
Before Argentina took on Malbec, it was just a minor grape in South-West France, heavily used in Bordeaux blends with Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, Malbec makes up three quarters of Argentina’s vineyards and is spread throughout the world. Malbec loves high altitudes and requires warmer conditions than either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot to fully ripen. At lower altitudes, Malbec grapes tend to have thinner skins and struggle to produce the acidity they need to create great tasting and long-lasting wine. High altitude areas with a wide diurnal temperature (i.e. hot day, cold night) allow the grapes to produce more acidity.
In the 1850s, French agronomist Michel Aimé Pouget (1821–1875) introduced Malbec to Argentina. In an effort to improve the quality of Argentinian wines, provincial governor Domingo Sarmiento commissioned Michel Pouget to bring grapevine cuttings from France to Argentina. One of the vines that Michel Pouget brought was pre-phylloxera cuttings of Malbec. Malbec began to thrive upon its arrival in Argentina's mountainous landscapes, especially in regions like Mendoza, San Juan and Salta.
Thanks to its success in Argentina, this relatively obscure grape variety shot to international fame within a few short decades. Today, Argentina leads the production of Malbec with over 75% of all the acres of Malbec in the world. Now it grows in seven countries (Argentina, France, USA, Chile, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand) and continues to grow in popularity.
MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
Argentinian Malbecs have a fruit-forward, juicy style with a reputation for richness balanced by high acidity and round, soft tannins. Already sounds like the perfect match for a good steak, no?
It often features nuances of chocolate, violet flowers and a smoky or sweet tobacco finish. Compared to French Malbecs, Argentine Malbecs are fruit-forward and softer, with a plusher texture and riper tannins.
If you're looking for top rated Malbec wines, look to Uco Valley and Luján de Cuyo in Mendoza.
CAHORS, FRANCE
Malbec seems to produce its darkest, most tannic expressions in limestone soils as found in Cahors. Malbec from the Cahors region is leathery and rustic with black pepper spice attributes. The cooler climate produces flavours of tart red currant, raspberry and black cherry or plum. French Malbecs also tend to age longer since they have a lower alcohol percentage, moderate tannins and acidity.
UP & COMING REGIONS
Australia is seeing more & more single varietal Malbecs, but is also often used as a blending grape with Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon. They tend to lean towards savory styles rather than punchy fruity versions, offering deeper chocolate & bramble over the blackberry & plum notes of the Argentinian examples.
New Zealand has also brought over Bordeaux blends featuring Malbec, with Hawke's Bay being one of the pioneers of this.
Fun Fact: Moldova has great fruit forward Malbecs too!
