Malbec may have grown up long ago in Bordeaux, but it has since retired to Argentina. Not the whole grape family, mind you. Some, perhaps out of a sense of patriotism or because they thought Argentina would be too hot, stayed in France and settled a little to the east in Cahors. A few adventurous souls headed across the Andes to Chile while some traveled to even more exotic locals such as the US, South Africa, Australia, Italy and even BC.
Malbec is a popular wine for many oenophiles. It is a full-bodied red wine with lower acid and tannin than many other red wines, which makes it an easy-to-drink red. It tends to be fruit forward with aromas and flavours of black cherry, black pepper, blackberry, plum, blueberry, dried fruit, vanilla, coconut, tobacco and chocolate.
Argentina, primarily in Mendoza, produces 75% of the worlds Malbec wines and the best ones come from higher altitude vineyards which produce wines with better structure and balance. Malbec wines tend to be very reasonably priced, so it is worthwhile spending a little more and going with a Reserva wine.
To honour World Malbec Day, I attended a special event at Marquis Wine Cellars on Davie Street in Vancouver. There was music, provided by a DJ, some dancing as well as some tasty empanadas courtesy of Panaderia Latina Bakery. It was a very well organized event with eleven Argentinian wines being poured at three stations. We began with the lowest priced Malbec and moved on to the most expensive.
The flight consisted of:
2014 Circus Malbec $16.43
2015 La Vuelta Malbec $17.30
2014 OPI Malbec $17.30
2011 Humberto Canale Estate Malbec $20.78
2014 Santa Julia Organica Malbec $21.65
2013 Tapiz Malbec $21.65
2011 Trapiche Gran Medalla Malbec $24.26
2013 Zuccardi Q Malbec $26.87
2013 Rutini Cabernet – Malbec $26.87
2011 Bodega La Azul Reserve $30.35
2011 Zuccardi Zeta $63.39
I found some very good ones at each price point. My top four wines are as follows:
#4 The 2011 Humberto Canale Estate Malbec at $20.78 is a very good value and benefits from its aging.
#3 The 2011 Bodega La Azul Reserve is pricier at $30.35, but the 60% Cabernet, 40% Malbec blend and the five years of aging make it noteworthy.
#2 At only $24.26, the 2011 Trapiche Gran Medalla Malbec, I thought, was the best bargain of the day. I was impressed by the layered nose, good structure and medium plus finish.
#1 The finest wine though, was the $63.39 2011 Zuccardi Zeta. This wine is a blend of 87% Malbec and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is elegant, well structured and shows complexity. Not an everyday wine, but one that shows what can be done with this grape.
I suggest gathering a few friends over and doing a little comparison of your own. Try a French Malbec (Cot) from Cahors, such as Chateau Labrande Jean Luc Baldes. From BC, search out one from Eau Vivre, Inniskillin, Church and State, Siren’s Call, Moon Curser among others and one from Argentina such as those mentioned above. Taste them in that order and you will get a good idea of its range and styles. No longer just a minor Bordeaux blender, Malbec has stepped into the spotlight and established its own identity.
Enjoy!
