MALBEC - ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR RED GRAPE VARIETIES - JOIN US FOR A TASTING APRIL 17TH
Known for its plump, dark fruit flavors and smoky finish, Malbec wine offers a great alternative to higher priced Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Mostly grown in Argentina, it is also one of Bordeaux's top 5 grapes, having started it's history in France. It is a grape variety that originated in France where it was primarily used as a blending grape to make Bordeaux for many years. While the grape had excellent potential to be made into the pure Malbec wine we know and love today, only one region, Cahors, historically did so.
Malbec did not respond well to France's climate, and winemakers began planting less of the grape for fear of giving up land to crops that could easily die. They planted just enough to add to a red blend if the grape did end up surviving the growing season. This was due, in part, to the grape’s vulnerability to disease and rot.
Fortunately, Malbec found a new life in Argentina. The grape was first introduced to the region in the mid-19th century when provincial governor Domingo Faustino Sarmiento asked French agronomist Miguel Pouget to bring grapevine cuttings from France to Argentina.
Among the vines that he brought were the very first Malbec vines planted in the country, primarily in Mendoza. Because of the region’s hot weather and high altitude, the Malbec vines thrived, exhibiting none of the weakness they had died from in France. This is why Argentinian Malbec and French Malbec have distinctly different tastes, to this day.
Nearly 100 years after its first planting in Argentina, Malbec was a wine consumed only within the country, with very little being exported. Then, in the early 2000s, the state of the world economy caused all red wine prices to rise, including the price of wine made in Europe and the United States.
Many Americans began searching for an affordable and delicious alternative to their classic Cabernets and Pinot Noirs. The time for Malbec had arrived.
In this way, Malbec was not discovered by wine experts but by regular wine drinkers. Because of this populist appeal, Malbec is now considered Argentina’s most important grape variety, and the country is now home to nearly 70 percent of all Malbec vineyards in the world. As of 2003, there were over 50,000 acres of Malbec in Argentina.
It's easy to drink with or without food, sometimes referred to as "working man's Merlot" but with an extra spicyness, acidity and earthy quality that is a little less polished.
Tasting a French and Argentinian Malbec side by side truly demonstrates the importance of terroir influence on wine.
Malbec pairs well with meat, soft cheese, spicy, herbal influences and smokyhttps://us15.admin.mailchimp.com/ flavours. Avoid pairing with fish, salads and vinegrettes.
See you on APril 17th, World Malbec Day! 5pm - 7 pm. Bring your friends!
Kindly RSVP so we know how many glasses to wash and meatballs to prepare!