Malbec
7/13/2024The inky black-blue grape variety of Malbec is native to Cahors in South West France. Through its success in the vineyards of Mendoza in particular, in a few short decades Malbec has shot from relative obscurity to international fame and is now better known as the iconic red wine grape of Argentina.
Last updated 04-Jul-2024
Mature Malbec grapes in the Lujan de Cuyo of Argentina | © Juan Cruz de Frias / shutterstock.com
Table of Contents
- Malbec growing regions
- Other Malbec growing regions
- Malbec flavors
- Viticulture
- Synonyms
- Food pairings for Malbec wines
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Most Popular Malbec Wine
Malbec growing regions
Though Malbec originates in South West France, its history in France is a troubled one.
Cahors
In France, Malbec is the flagship grape of Cahors, in South West France. It must constitute a minimum of 70 percent of any AOC Cahors wine, accompanied by rich, round Merlot and rustic, tannic Tannat. Because of its color, it earned the soubriquet "Black Wine".
The Great Frost of 1956 wiped out most of the vineyards in its homeland. However, on a positive note, in the wholesale replanting which followed, Malbec became even more dominant.
A view across the vines towards the town of Preyssac, western Cahors, seen from Domaine du Théron (Vignobles Pelvillain) | ©Vignobles Pelvillain
The success with the grape in Argentina has had some influence in Malbec's original home. In marketing terms, this led producers to begin to mention the variety on labels (at odds with typical French appellation regulations). Furthermore, some riper or juicier styles began to appear alongside the tannic traditional expressions, aided in part by climate change.
Bordeaux and other French regions
Malbec also features in red wines from Bordeaux, and for centuries formed a much greater component of many Bordeaux Blend wines than is the case today. However, the 1956 frosts also struck here, and led to the surface area of Malbec being greatly diminished in favor of the more reliable Merlot grape. Nowadays, it is most commonly used in Saint-Émilion, Bourg, Blaye, and the Entre-Deux-Mers, in very small quantities (two percent or so only) as a color enhancement.
The port of Bordeaux and the Garonne River | ©Nbnserge / www.shutterstock.com
Elsewhere in Southwest France, the variety plays a minor role in Bergerac, Buzet, including several other AOCs. In the Midi it is permitted, but rarely grown in Cabardès and Malepère.
In the middle zone of the Loire Valley there is a small amount of Malbec. It can also be added to Cabernet Franc and Gamay in the red wine blends of Anjou, Côteaux du Loir, and Touraine, as well as the sparkling wines of Saumur.
Elsewhere in Europe, Malbec is rarely cultivated. The northern regions of Italy are likely the most significant areas.
Argentina
Malbec has really come into its own with the reliably warm and sunny climate in Argentina. At lower altitudes, the variety's skins tend to be thinner, and the fruit soft and supple – ideal for rosé wines and mass-produced reds (carbonic maceration is sometimes used to create an approachable, light red wine for summer).
Further up, on the lower slopes of the Andes Mountains, the variety develops a thicker skin and a deeper concentration of flavor. Wines from these altitudes (particularly above 1000m/3000ft) are more aromatic and have intense, vibrant coloring, and rank among the most respected of all South American wines.
The vineyards of the Salta province can reach altitudes of almost 3050m (10,000ft) above sea level, and are among the very highest in the world. The vineyards here are typically planted with Malbec, along with the nation's iconic white-wine variety, Torrontes.
Vineyards of Cafayate in Salta, Argentina | ©sunsinger / shutterstock.com
Altitude also brings with it clean, dry air, and so lower disease pressure. Furthermore, phylloxera is not a threat; historically, the high mountains and isolation have provided a natural barrier, which means the biotype present is weak, as it struggles in most of the soil types.
The exact date of the first Malbec plantings in this region is not certain, but may likely be a site in Panquehua, located north of Mendoza City, in 1865. Most sources suggest the export came as a consequence of the appointment in 1853 of French viticulturist. Michel Aimé Pouget, to run the Quinta Normal de Agricultura, the country's first agricultural school.
In contrast to its current strong position, Malbec's history in the country has been chequered, as in France. During Argentina's national vine-pull scheme in the late 1980s, a vast number of Malbec vines (including some of the South America's oldest) were uprooted.
Other Malbec growing regions
Chile
The earliest Malbec vineyards in Chile may well pre-date those in Argentina, though, it was Argentina's recent success which inspired most of the current plantings. It is typically planted in cooler parts of the Central Valley, and often makes fresher, elegant styles.
United States
Malbec forms part of the Meritage blend in the United States, and has a strong presence in California. Between 1995 and 2003, the state expanded its Malbec vineyards from around 1000 to 7000 acres (400 to 2800ha). This represented something of a return to prominence, as the grape had been a popular source of cheap bulk wines before Prohibition.
There are much smaller quantities in Oregon and Washington (focused on the Walla Walla Valley). It is also grown in New York, Texas and several other states.
The Walla Walla Valley AVA covers the foothills of the Blue Mountains | ©CSNafzger / www.shutterstock.com
Australia and New Zealand
In Australia and New Zealand, it is frequently blended with the softer, less tannic Merlot, to produce bright, fruit-driven wines against a backbone of oak. Plums and violets are common flavor descriptors.
Top critic-rated Malbec wines from New Zealand & Australia
Marlborough
$52
91 / 100
Margaret River, Australia
$231
93 / 100
Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
$16
95 / 100
Malbec flavors
Broadly speaking, French Malbec tends to be more meaty, rustic and tannic. Examples from Argentina seem to run from bright and fresh through to the more established export style; rich, ripe, jammy and juicy.
Generalizing further, fruit aromas tend somewhat towards the plummy character of Merlot, rather than the blackcurrant of Cabernet Sauvignon. Fresher, lighter examples can tend more towards red fruits. However, it can be Malbec's inky color intensity which provides the clearest differentiation.
On both sides of the Atlantic, Malbec wines are generally aged in oak to enhance the wine's structure and aging potential. This can give the wines a pronounced chocolate character.
Viticulture
The variety needs more heat than either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot in order to fully ripen. However, in suitably warm conditions, Malbec typically ripens midway through the growing season. As it is so sensitive to its growing environment, the level of ripeness has a considerable effect on the structure of the eventual wine.
Though, not a late ripener, Malbec is particularly susceptible to early frost. It is also prone to coulure (the failure of grapes to develop after flowering due to adverse weather) and downy mildew. However, when all goes well, yields can be high. It seems to produce its darkest most tannic expressions in limestone soil, such as those found in Cahors.
Côt vs. Malbec
Not all Malbec is the same, however. Francois Lurton, a Frenchman working in Argentina, grows both Côt (more recent cuttings from France) and Malbec (massal selections from pre-phylloxera stocks). He believes the early cuttings were from the best expression of the variety. The early stocks thrived in Argentina's warmer, sunnier conditions, and the best vines were propagated to new vineyards.
These berries are smaller, but the resulting wines have softer tannins, greater richness and more red fruit aromas. The "newer" Côt has larger berries, but the tannins are more overt, and the wines can be leaner and greener with more acidity.
Synonyms
In Cahors, the variety is traditionally known as Côt or Auxerrois. The Malbec name seems to have gained regular use with the first export of cuttings to Argentina in the 1800s (see above). In Bordeaux, it was first known as Pressac.
Auxerrois is another, potentially very confusing local synonym. There is little or no Malbec in the Auxerre region, and Auxerrois Blanc (aka Pinot Auxerrois) is an unrelated white sibling of Chardonnay, best known in Alsace.
The variety can occasionally be seen written as Malbeck or Malbek. In total, there are over 1000 different synonyms for the variety documented by the French ampelographer, Pierre Galet. This reflects the fact that it was was once across 30 different French departments.
Food pairings for Malbec wines
Food pairings can vary greatly according to the style of the wine. For example, the lighter, juicier styles of Argentine Malbec are useful allrounders, while riper, heavier wines are better suited to red meats and bolder dishes. Because of the dark fruit, coffee and chocolate characters of the more oaked examples, they can match well with chocolate, and even rich desserts, such as tiramisu can work reasonably well, if only opening one bottle over dinner.
The traditional, tannic Cahors Black Wine will be softened by protein-rich meats, cheeses and nut-based dishes. It is a less obvious pairing for chargrilled food, as the more assertive tannins will double up on the astringency from the charring.