April 17 today, a special day for wine lovers everywhere, since Malbèc has its… birthday!
Malbec is a red grape variety native to southwestern France (especially the area around Cahors), but nowadays it is better known as the iconic wine of Argentina.
World Malbec Day is set for April 17, the day on which Argentine President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento officially made his mission to transform the Argentine winery. On April 17, 1853, Sarmiento commissioned Michel Aimé Pouget, a French specialist, to bring new grapes to Argentina. Among the varieties that Pouget brought was Malbec. Pouget continued to experiment with adapting French varieties to the different terroirs of Argentina.
Malbec is a thick-skinned grape that needs more sun and heat than Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot to ripen. It ripens in the middle of the season and can have a very deep color, strong tannins and a special tasty ingredient that looks like a plum that adds complexity to the mix. Sometimes, especially in the traditional areas of cultivation, it is grown in bushy vines (the goblet system). In such cases, it is sometimes maintained at a relatively low acreage yield. The wines produced by this method of cultivation are rich, dark and juicy.
As a variety, Malbec produces a fairly dark red (or violet), intense wine, and is also commonly used in blends, such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to create the red French Bordeaux blend. The grape is mixed with Cabernet Franc and Gamay in some areas such as the Loire Valley. The variety is sensitive to frost.
Fresh Malbec wines have spicy aromas of plums, blackberries and wild cherries, while those that have matured in oak barrels bring out an impressive dynamic. Leather notes, and a bouquet of vanilla, chocolate, coffee and ripe red fruits flood the nose. The mouth - either in fresh or aged wines - is exuberant, with an intense, somewhat rough, rustic feel, which makes it even more charming and impressive.
Malbec Argentino - as the Argentines call it - is experiencing a new topography with a variety of flavors, aromas and freshness, which translates into an inexhaustible range of profiles and styles that highlight the diversity of Malbec. Exuberant, friendly, seductive, Malbec has many personalities, all of whom shine in the glass.
In the House of Wine you will find 9 single varieties and 9 Malbec blends! And I would add that the coming Easter is a great opportunity to get to know Malbec as it goes perfectly with the Greek Easter lamb!
Cheers!
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