Welcome Spring and Happy April to all! The rainy season slowly transitions to sunny days, the grass is greener, flowers are blooming, and fruit trees are budding – exciting bud burst times! This is your Calistoga Wine Society (CWS) Monthly Newsletter where we share fun facts about one wine varietal each month. This time, it is Malbec!
The Origin of Malbec
Although Malbec is known as the most common grape variety in Argentina, it was originally brought from France. This French grape variety originated in Cahors, France where it was (and is) called Cot and then migrated to Bordeaux, France. In Bordeaux, Malbec has been one of the 5 classic grapes that define Bordeaux wine. These grape varietals are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and, lastly, Malbec. An addition of small amount of Malbec into the blends has been used in France to “improve” Cabernet or Merlot blends with purple color, softening of tannins, and adding dark fruit and cocoa flavors, thus improving the overall balance of Cab family blends. Today in both Left and Right Banks of Bordeaux, Malbec, as a blending grape, if present, exists in a very small amount. Malbec and Merlot are genetic cousins and share common mother, grape called Magdeleine Noire des Charentes. These half-sister grapes share many softening and color characteristics with each other. This is one of the reasons, as well as the fact that Malbec needs a warmer climate (that is not present in Bordeaux), leading to its practical extinction there.
Malbec and Argentina
After being transported to Argentina in the 19th century (1853) by a French agronomist Michel Pouget, Malbec found its perfect growing conditions there and not in the secondary role as a blending grape but as a main and dominant primary (100%) grape variety representing the country of Argentina’s five distinctive attractions: Wine, Meat, Football, Tango, and Iguazu Falls. 75% of all world Malbec is planted in Argentina. Malbec is still being produced around the world in the USA, Chile, South Africa and Australia, but in much smaller quantities than in Argentina.
Malbec- Terroir
Malbec loves high elevation. This helps to produce high acidity that is so important in quality wine. Malbec does extremely well on these high flat plains next to the Andes mountains at 5,000 feet above sea level producing grapes with high acidity.
Aroma and Flavors of Malbec
Malbec aroma and flavors are close to Merlot (and other full-bodied red wines) and can be detected by prominence of plum fruity flavors and some smokiness at the finish. They include Black cherry, Pomegranate, Plum, Raspberry, Blackberry, Blueberry, Raisins; oaky flavors of Vanilla, Dill, Coconut, Chocolate, Mocha; and tertiary aroma of Leather, Black Pepper, and Tobacco. Patagonia, Argentina (cooler climate) has more red fruit characteristics of the wine, like raspberry and red/black cherry. Mendoza (Argentina) (warmer climate) has dark fruit flavors, line blackberry and plum. Opposite to fruity and ripe Argentinian Malbec, its French counterpart from Cahors and Loire valley is known for higher acidity and aroma of black pepper and spice, as well as leather and green savory character.
How do you recognize Malbec in a blind tasting? You really can’t — with no experience. With experience: A tell! – look for a bright magenta rim (meniscus) in the glass above deep purple-red colored core.
Malbec and Food Pairing
Malbec does very well with funky flavors. Black pepper buffalo burger with blue cheese, mushrooms, and rosemary-infused garlic kale chips. Uh, yum! Additional recommendations include beef brisket, duck, chicken leg, lamb, beef, ostrich, buffalo, and pork shoulder.
You can buy great quality Malbec Reserva from Mendoza, Argentina for $30-40. It will have good oak aging (12-to-20 months) that adds complexity to the wines. Look for wines from Uco Valley (Valle de Uco) from Mendoza. Malbec wine from Orgon, Washington and Santa Barbara (CA) is excellent. Malbec from Whitehall Lane winery (Rutherford) is exceptional.
—By Len Tolstunov, WSET3, Founder of the Calistoga Wine Society, Tribune contributor
Len Tolstunov became interested in wines and took a WSET educational wine course and passed level 3 with honors in 2016. Winemaking was the next adventure for Len and, after planting Cabernet Sauvignon vines in his front yard of their new house, Len started to make wine in 2018, learning from books and from many great home winemakers in town ready to help with any advice. In 2022 at the end of the pandemic, Len conceived the idea of the Wine Society for our town as a unifying force for those who loved wine and wanted to meet more neighbors as well as learn more about wine.
