If you were raised in Argentina, it is almost logical that, when you reach the age of drinking wine, your first approach to red grapes is through Malbec.
The shelves of any supermarket and the shelves of all the wine shops in this country have a high percentage of Malbec wine bottles, compared to other grapes. And of course, it is not by chance. It is the wine that identifies us, that speaks about us, the Argentines.
But what is it that we like so much about this Malbec grape?
Personally, I think it is a very versatile grape, with which complex, structured wines can be made, but also medium-bodied wines, and fresh to drink when they are young. It is possible that this rule also applies to other grape varieties, but in the case of Malbec, I think it is more present.
One never gets bored when drinking Malbec. While there are specific and distinctive aromatic descriptors of this grape, we drinkers can always be surprised with something new, with an aromatic note that we have not felt before. In many cases, this diversity has a lot to do with where the grape comes from. When someone has already gained some training in drinking Malbec wines, they know perfectly well that a Malbec from the Northwest is not the same as a Malbec from Cuyo or a Malbec from Patagonia. And if we are more specific, we can know that there are certain characteristics that the terroir of, for example, Gualtallary (Mendoza) is different from that of Agrelo, also in that province.
Of course, another great contribution to these differences is made by the hands of the winemaker. There are certain Argentine wineries from which we expect Malbec wines with certain characteristics (for example, a certain complexity), which we know we will not find in the Malbec wines of another producer.
Those of us who enjoy cuvee/blend wines can also distinguish the contribution of Malbec to that blend. A hint of fresh plum or blackberry, a floral note of violets, or a delicate lavender aroma will tell us that there is something about Malbec that we have not overlooked.
All these factors make Malbec a wine to uncork at all times. And I think this is the answer to our initial question: why do we like it so much? Precisely because its versatility makes it possible to find Malbec wines to suit all palates and times of the day.
Pairing:
A light lunch can be accompanied by a glass of young Malbec, perhaps from Mendoza, with a medium body and a not so long lasting persistence in the mouth.
A chat with friends in the afternoon, eating only bread and cheese, is the perfect excuse to share a Malbec with more structure in the mouth. A Malbec with at least 6 months of ageing in barrels, with present but friendly tannins.
An important dinner, with high fat food, will look better if it is accompanied by a complex, vibrant Malbec, with a long persistence in the mouth, and where its ageing in barrels has perhaps contributed with aromatic notes of leather, or ripe fruit. In this opportunity, a Malbec from Salta could be a good idea.
History of this red grape:
Just as Riesling is the identity of German white wines par excellence, Malbec is the identity of Argentine red wines. It is the grape on which the wine industry of a country was built.
In the case of Argentina, none of this would have been possible if the Frenchman Michel Aimé Pouget had not brought the first vines to this country in 1853, barely 10 years before phylloxera began to be known in Europe, and then ended up wiping out everything.
Immigrants, settlers, long journeys, attempts, mistakes and coincidences. The history of wine in the New World is made up of all these things.
For those who have never been to Argentina before, drinking Malbec will bring you closer to the natives of this South American country. Giant mountains, windy deserts, extreme sunshine, crystal-clear meltwater, dreamy valleys. It can all be in a glass of Malbec. Just close your eyes and let yourself go.
Gabriela Malagraba / @mividaenvinos
