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Malbec

Picture
Courtsey of Wines of Argentina
Malbec, traditionally known as Côt or Auxerrois, is Argentina's most significant grape and practically synonymous with the country. However, there is more to Malbec than just Argentina.
Originating in Cahors, France, the grape is a permissible Bordeaux varietal. However, like wine, trends, tastes and growing regions inevitably change.

Grape Origins 

​DNA analysis has shown that Malbec is a cross between Magdeleine Noire des Charentes, the same female parent as Merlot, and Prunelard, an old and endangered cultivar from southwest France.1 Using this knowledge, it has been deduced that Malbec’s origins are in the Lot Valley of Cahors France.2
  • France
  • Argentina
  • California 
<
>
The popularity of Malbec is traced to Elenor of Aquitaine (b. 1122 -
d. 1204) who championed the grape. Pope John XXII (b. 1244 d. 1334),
who was born in Cahors, and moved the papacy to Avignon, used
the grape for sacramental wine. In the thirteenth century, Cahors
Cot also became popular with the British. Malbec’s popularity grew
throughout the century and resulted in 1308-1309 being a record year
with 850,000 hectolitres of Malbec wine being imported. This growth
came to an end with the start of the Hundred Years War between
Britain and France in 1337. Other notable champions of the grape
were Francis I (b. 1494 -- d. 1547), who referred to Malbec as les plantes
du roi (“the king’s plants”) and Peter the Great (b.1672 -- d. 1725).3

Malbec was a significant grape in Bordeaux prior to the 19th century.
At that point, 40-60% of the first growth wines had Malbec as part of
the blend.4 However, in the 19th century, Cabernet Sauvignon and
Merlot became popular due to the Malbec crop being impacted by
several years of bad weather; furthermore, a naval blockade during
the Napoleonic Wars (~1811) caused a switch from the milder Baltic
oak barrels which were commonly used for the popular Malbec-
Verdot blends to barrels made of French oak, which were commonly
used for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends.5 Malbec production
was further reduced in the region with the 19th century phylloxera
epidemic and most recently when a 1956 killer frost reduced acreage
in the southwest of France.6

After the 1956 frost, Cahors became France’s main producer of
Malbec. However, it was not until 1971 that Cahors was awarded full
Appellation Contrôlee status. Appellation rules in Cahors require Malbec, known there as Auxerrois or Cot, to compose 70% of
the wine, blended with Tannat or Merlot. The clones contained
within the vineyards of Cahors were selected for their resistance
to shattering and date from the 1970’s.7
​​
​​
Argentina’s stocks are older as they were brought into
the country before phylloxera, and continued to thrive as
phylloxera did not pose a threat to the country's vineyards.
Ian Mount’s book, The Vineyard at the End of the World:
Maverick Winemakers and the Rebirth of Malbec, provides an
insightful guide to the origins of Malbec in Argentina. In the
book, Mount traces the vine’s arrival in Argentina to around
1853, which was when Michel Aimé Pouget, a French agricultural
engineer, moved to the Mendoza area to operate a government
model farm and planted Malbec along the desert region of
western Argentina.8 Here the vine thrives in Mendoza’s hot sun
which creates high vigor and dense leaf cover. Furthermore,
its warm evening temperatures help reduce grape acids so
that Malbec in Argentina is not as acidic as its counterpart in
France. Argentina ultimately created a more suitable growing
environment for the thin-skinned grape that is susceptible to
cold and disease.

Later in his book, Mount follows Malbec's history to the
1970’s when acreage in Argentina peaked at 120,000 acres and
then declined to 25,000 acres between 1970 and 1990 as it fell
out of favor and was replaced by other varietals.

ln the mid-1990’s, a Malbec revolution occurred. According to the Argentinian wine revolution’s founding house Catena Zapata (catenawines.com), the revolution initiated in the early1980’s when an Argentinian grower/winemaker known as Nicolás
Catena Zapata, who held a PhD in Economy, was a visiting scholar
at the University of California Berkeley. While at Berkeley, Nicolás
learned about the Napa Valley wine revolution and the story of
the Judgement of Paris, inspiring him to follow suit in Argentina.
Thus, Nicolás sold his table-wine-producing company, keeping
only Bodegas Esmeralda, the fine-wine branch of the family's
winery. Nicolás then set-out to discover the best growing regions
of Mendoza. In 1994, after spending five years working on the
85-year-old Angélica vineyard, Nicolás was satisfied enough to
make a Catena Malbec. This first wine was a success, as it was
heralded by wine critics, including Robert Parker Jr. Catena.

With the goal of improving upon this success, Nicholas planted
Argentinian Malbec clones to search for the best vine selection,
as clones from Cahors proved disappointing. He also worked on
refining his vineyard management techniques as Mendoza’s high
elevation required a different approach to that of lower altitude
vineyards. For example, in most regions, removing leaves from
the vines assists in reducing the methylpyrazine (green mint
flavors) of the grapes, contrarily, leaf removal at high altitudes
produces pruny flavors due to sunburnt grapes.9

By 2011, Malbec acreage in Argentina rebounded to ~77,000
acres, 85% of which were in Mendoza.10 It has continued to grow
to its current status of 109,685.95 acres.

​Malbec has existed in California as early as the 1850’s, and was brought over by French immigrants.11 However, it was not until 1978 when the grape started to appear in acreage statistics in California after five acres were planted in Napa Valley during 1976. Since then, the total Malbec acreage in California slowly increased, and by 2017, the total acreage for Malbec reached 3,822 acres (bearing and non-bearing).3 The increased interest in Malbec can
be attributed to its usage in“Meritage,” the name of a Bordeaux varietal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.

Common Synonyms:

​Côt or Auxerrois

Growing Characteristics


  • ​Harvest Period: A late-midseason variety. 
  • Soil: “Malbec is a vigorous variety that is adaptable to a wide
     range of soil types.” (http://iv.ucdavis.edu/files/24334.pdf).
     However, it has an affinity for stony soils that stress the vine.
  • Climate: Malbec prefers warm climates during bloom, as cool
     weather can cause coulure (the failure for grapes to develop
     after flowering).
  • Terroir:Floral and fruity flavors increase as growing season average
     temperatures decrease. Spicy and Herbal flavors increase as
     GST increases. (Wines of Argentina)

Styles 

Single Varietal
100% Malbec​

Blends

  • ​Cahors AOC Blend
  • ​Bordeaux Blend/ "Meritage"
  • ​Malbec - Cabernet Franc from Argentina
  • ​Malbec - Cabernet Sauvignon from Argentina
<
>
Requirement: Minimum of 70% of Malbec/Côt. Accessory grapes
include Tannant and Merlot. 10% to 13% ABV requirement.
​Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and to
a lesser extent Carmenère and Malbec.
It should be noted Malbec is rarely found in a wine from Bordeaux.

Meritage
The Meritage Alliance, formed in the 1980’s is a trade
organization that governs the usage of “meritage” on the
bottle. For a bottle to be called a meritage, it requires the
following: “Meritage wines are provocative red or white wines
crafted solely from specific "noble" Bordeaux grape varieties
and are considered to be the very best wines of the vintage.”
meritagealliance.com/
adds red fruit and peppery notes to the Malbec. In Argentina, “the
Franc is a deep wine with a concentrated violet colour and is very
expressive with its aromas of red and black fruits, wild herbs and
spices. On the palate, it is voluptuous with good tension and firm
tannins, which mean great ageing potential.”
There is typically a higher proportion of Malbec or a higher
proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon with no defined proportions.
Unlike in Bordeaux, these wines do not contain Merlot.
Typically found from Mendoza, which produces both grapes.

Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Characteristics 

Sugar: Dry

Alcohol:
13.5% to 15% ABV

Body:
Medium to Full

Acidity:
Medium to Low

Tannins:
Medium to High

Oak:
Usually, Malbec is typically aged between 4 and 20 months,
however unoaked Malbec does exist.

Flavors
• Fruits: Black Cherry, Blackberry, Fig, Plum, Raspberry and Strawberry
• Floral: Violette
• Herbs: Mint, Eucalyptus
• Spices: Chocolate, Pepper, Tobacco, Cinnamon
• Other: Leather

Service 

​• Cellaring: Age 5-10 years typical
• Decanting Duration: 30-60 minutes
• Glass Type: Red Wine Glass
• Serving Temperature: 60 ºF to 68 ºF

Food Pairing

Cheese:
Feta, Mozzarella, Provolone, Swiss Cheese

Fruits and Vegetables
Mushrooms:
Portobello and Shitake. 
Olives, Roasted Peppers,
Shallots, Beets

Protein
Meat:
Grilled Meat (Classic pairing in Argentina),
Beef:
Burgers,
Roasts, Lamb, Pork, Venison
Poultry:
Duck (Classic Pairing in Cahors), Turkey

Herbs
Coriander, Mint, Oregano, Sage, Rosemary, Tarragon

Spices
Peppercorn (Black or Red), Baking Spices:
Allspice, Cinnamon, Clove,
Chinese 5 spice (Star Anise, Cloves, Chinese Cinnamon, Szechuan
Peppercorns, and Fennel Seeds)

Desserts
Chocolate Desserts, Baking Spice forward desserts like pumpkin pie.

Alternatives to Malbec 

​• Single Varietal Alternatives
  Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, Tempranillo, Touriga
  Nacional, Sangiovese
• Blends
• Languedoc (from Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Mourvedre)
• Chianti
• Brunello di Montalcino
• Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
• Rioja (with high % Tempranillo)

Sources and Additional Reading

1 Boursiquot, J.-M., T. Lacombe, V. Laucou, S. Julliard, F.-
X. Perrin, N. Lanier, D. Legrand, C. Meredith and P. This,
“Parentage of Merlot and related winegrape cultivars of
southwestern France: discovery of the missing link”, Australian
Journal of Grape and Wine Research 15: 144-155 (2009)

2. Viala, P., and V. Vermorel, Dictionnaire Ampélographie.
Tome VI (Paris: Masson et Cie, 1905).

3. Sweet, Nancy. “Malbec & Cot at FPS.” FPS Historian,
University of California, Davis - July, 2018 © 2018 Regents of
the University of California https://fps.ucdavis.edu/grapebook/
winebook.cfm?chap=Malbec

4. Catena, Laurea. “An Insiders Guide to the Wines & Wine
Country of Argentina” (2014)
Google Talk. https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=VewMa8uWk30

5. Asher, Gerald, “Châteaux Margaux: Time Recaptured”, The
Pleasures of WINE, p. 66 (Chronicle Books, San Francisco,
California, 2002).

6. Mount, Ian, The Vineyard at the End of the World, Maverick
Winemakers and the Rebirth of Malbec, pp. 220-221 (W.W.
Norton & Co., New York and London, 2012)

7. Anonymous, “Two new International Events Dedicated to the
Malbec Grape”, Wine Business Monthly, vol. XVII no. 3, page 54,
March, 2010.

8. Mount, supra, pp. 41-44.

9. catenawines.com/begginings.php

10. Robinson, Jancis, Julia Harding, and José Vouillamoz, WINE
GRAPES, p. 272 (HarperCollins Publishers, New York, NY, 2012)

11. Hilgard, E.W. (1892), Report of the Viticultural Work during
the Season of 1887-1889 with data regarding the Vintage of
1890. Part I. Red-wine grapes, pp. 31, 20-52, Report to the
Regents, Agr. Exp. Sta., University of California, 1892.

Sub-Region

Climate:
Winkler Region not Available Mean

Rainfall:
31.0 inch Elevation: 344 ft to 1089 ft

Mean Temperature Warmest Month High:
82 °F (July) Mean Temperature Warmest Month Low: 58 °F (July)

​Mean Temperature Coldest Month High:
48 °F (January) Mean Temperature Coldest Month Low 36°F (January)

Cahors AOC

Cahors AOC 
​First Terrace
Second Terrace
Third Terrace
Causse
​​Soil
​The “first terrace” terroir is
located closest to the river.
It consists of young and
fertile alluvium with sandy
loam soils
​The “second terrace”
is five metres higher.
This is a limestone
terroir where
runoff has extracted
the finest and most
fertile soil elements
with the presence
of rounded pebbles
that bear witness to
the former course of
the river. Compared
to the “first terrace,”
the soil of the latter
contains more clay.
​Higher still, the
“third terrace,” consists
of two types of
soils: A more gravelly
limestone soil
closer to the plateau
and a clayey limestone
soil that gives
the wines its fruitiness
and strength.
​This terroir is less fertile
than the terraces and also
less influenced by the river.
The diversity of soils on
the limestone plateau is
impressive. Some are marl
soils dotted with limestone
rocks or red, sometimes
even purple pebbles (siderolithic
formations that are
rich in ferruginous concretions).
Some soils are particularly
rich in yellow or
red clay which retain water
and nutrients, ensuring a
constant supply of water
and minerals to the vine
plants.
Characteristics
​Light, fruity wines.
​The more clayey soil
retains water, providing
the vineyard
with stable hydra5.
tion, thus giving
the wine body and
depth.
​The limestone soil
gives the wines
great finesse, and a
clayey limestone soil
that gives the wines
its fruitiness and
strength.
​Temperature contrasts between
day and night result
in the grapes ripening later
than in lower regions with
less flesh but undeniable
finesse.
​AOC Website
​https://vindecahors.fr/en
Value
Picture
Picture
​Chateau Du Caillau
is currently the only
Cahors Malbec available
in Hawaii at the
time of this writing.
The wine is distributed
by Young's Market
Company of Hawaii.

​Production Notes:
• Racking every 4
months before final
blending.
• 50% ageing in oak
barrels & 50% in
wooden tank for one
year.
​Primera Zona
​Maipú
​Luján de Cuyo
Value
Subregion
​Lunlunta/Barrancas
​​Perdriel
​Perdriel
​Agrelo IG/Las Compuertas IG
Climate
​Winkler Region V
​Winkler Region V
​Winkler Region III
​Winkler Region IV
​Mean Temperature
Warmest Month
High
​91° F
​91° F
​91° F
​86.4 ° F
​Mean Temperature
Warmest Month
Low
​65°F
​65°F
​65°F
​56.1 ° F
​Mean Temperature
Coldest Month
High
 59°
 59°
59°
​56.5 ° F
​Mean Temperature
Coldest Month
Low
​34°F
​34°F
​34°F
​30.7 ° F
​Mean Rainfall
​8 inches (200 mm)
​​8 inches (200 mm)
​8 inches (200 mm)
​​8 inches (200 mm)
​Elevation
​2,000 ft to 3,100 ft. (680 to 930m)
___
​2985 ft to 3215 ft (980
to 910m)
​3051 ft to 3608ft (930m to
1100m)
​Soil
​The soils are thin, sandy and
rocky, with plenty of stones
​A sandy profile with
clay and silt, of medium
depth
​Alluvial Soils of gravel
and clay loam with
river stones
​Agrelo has sandy loam soils
with a deep layer of stones.
Las Compuertas has alluvial
soil with low organic matter
and high levels of calcium.
Characteristics
​Germán Berra, winemaker at
Finca Flichman: “The Malbec’s
stand out here because of
their volume in the mouth,
more austere than in Luján,
rounded tannins and aromas
of ripe red and black fruit.”
​With slightly higher
temperature than the
rest of Maipu and Lujan
The Malbec’s here
are well perfumed,
fruity and spicy, meaty
on the palate with
ample tannins.
​Lujan de Cuyo wines
represent the ABC of
Malbec: fruity and
spicy, with a meaty
palate and well rounded,
muscular tannins.
​Agrelo is famous for hosting
renowned wineries and
ancient vineyards facing
the Cordón del Plata, some
980 meters high. Its deep,
loamy, soils are a rarity at
that height in Mendoza. Thus,
the Malbec’s are remarkably
intense in color and fruit,
with a distinctive taste that
Gustavo Bertagna, winemaker
at Dominio del Plata, defined
as “rounded tannins, making
them fatter than in other
areas.”
Maipú
​Maps of Argentina providen by Wines of Argentina (winesofargentina.org)
Wine Characteristics provided by Wines of Argentina and written by Alejandro Iglesias:
blog.winesofargentina.com/malbec-of-mendoza-diversity-of-flavours/
Picture
Sub-Region

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