The only region of France still firmly committed to Malbec is Cahors in southwestern France
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Malbec grapes make Argentina quiet toast of world winemaking community
When we heard about Argentina’s fiscal and political crises last year, we considered canceling our plans to visit wineries there. But Mendoza, the western region where most of Argentina’s vineyards are, is far from the urban unrest of Buenos Aires. In fact, life seems to be continuing in fairly normal fashion for the winemakers, who, even before the monetary crisis, understood that their future lay with the export market.
Argentina has formidable strengths to offer the world wine market. The country is the fifth-largest producer of wine in the world, behind France, Italy, Spain and the United States. Mendoza, a high desert region in the shadow of the Andes Mountains, has a dry climate that discourages vine disease with plenty of sunshine to nurture grapes. The Andes provide water run-off to irrigate the vineyards and the soils, eroded from the mountains, are mineral-rich, but poor enough in organic matter to challenge the grapes. Every type of grape seems to grow well there.
Besides growing the predictable Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, Argentine winemakers have planted Tempranillo, Syrah, Sangiovese, Grenache, Tannat, Mourvedre, Pinot Noir and even such far-flung varieties as Sicily’s Nero d’Avola and Portugal’s Touriga Francesa. Malbec, however, is the grape that most Argentine winemakers hold closest to their hearts.
Malbec first gained fame in the Bordeaux region of France, where it was a key element in the red Bordeaux blend. But over the course of the 20th century, Malbec became less important in Bordeaux, and today probably no more than four of the 60 classified-growth properties still use it. The only region of France still firmly committed to Malbec is Cahors in southwestern France, and even there the percentage of Merlot in the wine has gradually increased at the expense of Malbec. But in Argentina, Malbec is king.
When you taste Malbec wines from Argentina, you can wonder why the rest of the world doesn’t grow this variety. The best wines exude rich flavors of plums and raspberry with hints of licorice and spice; they have a deep, purple-red color and soft tannins. They are, in a word, exciting.
Malbec also blends amiably with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and even Syrah. But, according to Argentine winemakers, Malbec is one of the most limited grape varieties in the world in terms of where it will grow.
“Malbec loves sun,” one winemaker told us, “and we in Mendoza have purer sun — less dust, fewer clouds, a higher degree of radiation — than other wine regions.” Another winemaker said Malbec needs a very high differential between day and night temperatures – at least 27 degrees Fahrenheit. That is the norm in Mendoza.
Another theory regarding the limited success of Malbec is that phylloxera did it in. When Malbec was grafted onto phylloxera-resistant rootstocks, it became too vigorous and, being a thin-skinned grape, became susceptible to rot. For this reason, some producers in Argentina do not graft their Malbec vines onto phylloxera-resistant rootstocks. In any case, their dry climate fends off rot.
Even within Argentina, Malbec varies from one district to another. Winemakers can demonstrate those differences: medium weight and supple-textured wines from the sandy soils of La Consulta, south of Mendoza city; leaner, more tannic wines from high-elevation vineyards in San Juan; fresh, bright fruitiness in wines from Vistalba. Some believe that the best Malbec comes from the heavy soils of the Agrelo area in western Mendoza.
Clonal selection of Malbec appears to be the next frontier for understanding that grape. Most producers admit that they have made no effort to isolate individual subvarieties of Malbec, but instead take a mass selection from their best plots when planting new vineyards. One leading producer, Catena Zapata, is an exception, having isolated 135 clones and whittled that number down to the five best clones for his area.
Whatever the district and whatever the clones, Malbec is destined to be the star of Argentine wine as that country tries to earn its fortune in the world wine market.
Source: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3190/is_16_36/ai_85017818/
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