Grape Profile: Malbec
Malbec
As Argentina’s flagship grape and the most widely planted, wildly-loved Argentine fruit, the Malbec grape drastically changed the landscape of the country, the economy and the international wine community. The varietal is recognized for its strong bouquet of aromatic fruits – including plum, raisin, and violets – set upon supple tannins and a velvety finish.
Typical Characteristics:
- Grapes: Thin-skinned grapes, medium size, dark purple to black in color
- Leaves: medium size, ranges from slightly to mostly 3-lobed, short/ sharp teeth, lower leaf surface can be covered with tufted hair
- Soil: Malbec is highly adaptable to a wide range of soil types
- Harvest: late to mid-season
- Growing: Generally, Malbec needs more sunlight and heat than varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, in order to reach ideal
- Training/ Pruning: usually cordon trained and spur pruned. Some clones are pruned cane pruned in order to produce more clusters
- Wine: Medium-bodied tannins, deep color, plum flavor, intense fruity flavors, velvety texture maturation.
Geography
Malbec is thought to have originated in northern Burgundy, though today is grown primarily in the South Western French wine region (near the town of Cahors), in Argentina and in parts of California, where it is mostly used for blending. Within Argentina, Mendoza is the primary Malbec producing region, though vines are also cultivated in La Rioja, Salta, San Juan, Catamarca, Rio Negro and Buenos Aires province.
History
The Malbec grape was originally grown in France and likely originated in Northern Burgundy. Though during this time the grape was known as Côt, instead of Malbec. In the 19th Century the provincial governor of Buenos Aires, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, ordered Michel Pouget, a French agricultural engineer, to bring french grapevine cuttings over to Argentina. Thus the Malbec grape first took root in Argentina. Today it is the most widely planted varietal in the country.
Argentine vs. French Malbec
Though every Malbec varietal contains basically the same genetic structure, the effects of terroir can drastically change the taste of the grapes and the characteristics of the wine that results. Argentine Malbec tends to have smaller berries in tighter clusters than its french counterpart. Often the wine is softer, with softer tannic structure in Argentina.