| Malbec:
Star of Argentina
A little-known wine is making
waves in South American vineyards
BY
TAYLOR EASON - Published 04.19.06
No
one's really heard of it, or cares for that matter.
It's been hiding in blends for hundreds of years in
France and growing happily yet silently in the rich
soil of Argentina for more than a hundred years. Malbec
is a grape that plays second or third chair, but it's
clamoring for more recognition.
Malbec
serves as one of the six red grape varieties allowed
in French Bordeaux blends, but grows less favored year
after year. In southwestern France, in places like Cahors,
where Malbec tastes spicy and massively tannic, it even
sports different names, from the odd "Côt"
to the romantic sounding "Auxerrois." In its
heyday, the grape was planted throughout the country
and still has more than 50 nicknames, but its sensitivity
to frost forced it lower on growers' popularity lists.
Malbec
is also grown in small amounts in California, Chile
and Australia, but it found a home in Argentina. Introduced
by a Frenchman named Michel Pouget in the mid-19th century,
the grape thrives in the Mendoza region, which benefits
from more than 300 days of sunlight per year (during
our cold winter, mind you). Today, 75 percent of Argentina's
wine comes from Mendoza, where Malbec is the most popular
varietal.
Argentinean
Malbec's taste falls in between Merlot and Cabernet
Sauvignon, with bold, in-your-face fruit yet with a
softer, less tannic experience. To create a wine like
this, a baby sitter is needed during harvest. To avoid
"green," unripe tastes, growers have to constantly
monitor the fruit so that its sugars and flavors reach
the required levels to make a palatable wine.
You
might notice the offensive green pepper flavor in some
cheaper Malbecs. Some winemakers produce a lighter style,
capable of quaffing, while others make wines with hairy
balls. The only way to know the difference is by tasting
or knowing the producer. But that, of course, is the
fun part.
And
remember that Malbec is one of those wines that benefits
from sitting in the glass awhile to air out the tannins.
Give it a few good swirls to mix oxygen into the juice
and you can experience the full essence of a good Malbec.
Great
recent vintages for Argentinean Malbec have been 2002
and 2003, so look for those to avoid disappointment.
In the $10-and-under range, Bodega Norton and Trapiche
are pretty reliable and easy to find; $10-$20, try Etchart,
Tika and Weinert; $20 and above, go for Catena.
corkscrew@creativeloafing.com
Recommended
Wines
Sweetness
(SW) rating is out of 10, 10 being pure sugar. Star
rating is out of 5, 5 being wine nirvana.
Catena
2003 Malbec Mendoza. SW = 3. $20. Smells like
sugar cookies with a blueberry and blackberry compote.
Tastes smooth, elegant and raspberry jammy. Delicious
wine that's worth much more than you're paying. 4.5
stars
Valdevieso
2003 Malbec Single Vineyard Reserve Chile.
SW = 1. $19. An aroma of pancake syrup, but the bold,
tannic flavor erases all inkling of sweetness in the
mouth. Dark, inky fruit with cherry jam flavor and wine-soaked
leather. 4 stars
Nieto
2003 Malbec Riserva Mendoza. SW = 1. $11. A
smoky, forceful wine that cannot be ignored in the mouth.
Full-bodied and loaded with dark cherries, blackberries,
tobacco, plums and an after-sip experience of licorice.
3.5 stars
Conquista
2004 Malbec Mendoza. SW = 1. $10. Lighter in
body, with bright raspberry and blackberry, white pepper
and plums. Not a lot going on, but it has some refreshing
acids as well, making it a good food wine. 2.5 stars
|
