Malbec? Mais Oui!

It’s unusual to start one of our posts with a quiz, but we couldn’t resist….

What two countries are celebrated for producing the world’s best Malbec? 

Here’s a hint…  they are on different continents… Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick. 

OK, You obviously got Argentina right. But if you also said the United States, you’re wrong.

It’s France! The Cahors region, to be precise. This small area slightly east of Bordeaux and North of Toulouse produces glorious Malbec on 6,600 hectares of land (second only to Argentina where Malbec is planted on over 24,000 hectares). 

So why does Argentina’s Malbec get all the great press?  This is not only puzzling but also a point of great frustration for the proud French wine establishment.  It seems that in the mid-19^th century, the winemakers of Cahors journeyed to South America as part of a good will effort to help the Argentine government improve its agricultural program.  File this under “no good deed goes unpunished.”  It took more than a century, but obviously Argentina learned well from its French mentors. Today, Malbec from Mendoza is as ubiquitous as Shiraz from Australia.  So the winemakers of Cahors are traveling the new world once again; this time to remind the Americas where this marvelous grape was mastered.

We caught up with the traveling Cahors Malbec show at the Boston Harbor Hotel, always a stunning backdrop for an afternoon wine tasting. The show featured more than 30 wineries showcasing their Malbec and Malbec blends. Many of the producers sent their winemakers—who in many cases were also the owners--to the tasting, underscoring the importance of the event to the Cahors region.  Between their broken English and Lisa’s schoolgirl French, we were able to chat amiably—if briefly—with the wine representatives.

At check-in we were handed a beautifully designed notebook with information about each of the wineries and the wines being poured.  Beyond the production notes any wine aficionado would want to know, the notebook went as far as to tell us exactly what each wine tasted like, dividing everything up into categories like “feisty & powerful” or “tender & fruity.” While Lisa appreciated these helpful hints, as her palate is still developing, Gary did not take kindly to the detailed descriptions. “Why not let me discover these wines’ characteristics; isn’t that why I’m here?” he grumbled.

As we wandered from table to table we quickly discovered that the French style of Malbec is quite different from the sassy, smoky Malbec from Argentina.  Not surprisingly, the French wine was more “old world;” less fruit forward, subtle, earthier, and, frankly, often less interesting.  Most Malbec from Mendoza is meant to be drunk young.  The Cahors folks brought plenty of mid-2000’s vintages that still weren’t ready for consumption. They were just too young, with vicious tannins fighting up against fruit and alcohol content.  This was just an ugly brawl on the palate.  

But, we did taste five Cahors Malbec wines that grabbed our attention, are reasonably priced, and made it onto our “must buy” list. Unfortunately, some of our favorites do not have distribution in the United States. Clearly, this US tour is designed to stir up interest among distributors so the wines of Cahors can expand its reach.

Note: to earn the Cahors Malbec appellation from the powers that be in France, the wind must be made with a minimum of 70% Malbec.  The most common blending grape is Merlot.  All of our favorite wines, however, were 100% Malbec.

What We Liked

2002 Chateau Vincens Les Graves De Paul ($25+/-)   Not Available in the US

Delicious; an elegant wine with round, silky tannins. Gary said it’s screaming for a roasted lamb shank. Ready to drink now but good luck finding it; no US distribution.  If you are heading to France anytime soon please pick up a bottle or two for us!

2005 Domaine Du Prince Lou Prince ($25+/-) Available in the US

This is a big, juicy wine with a terrific balance of fruit and layered complexity.  Toasty oak, leather and cigar box on the nose and, according to Lisa, chocolate velvet on the palate.

2006 Chateau Pineraie L’Authentique ($18 - $20)      Available in the US

The cheat sheet called this wine “intense and complex,” which it was. But that’s a little misleading. We call it lovely, elegant, round, and thoroughly enjoyable; outstanding. Its reasonable price point makes it a very good value when compared with higher-end Argentinean Malbec from Kaiken, Norton, or Trapiche.

2005 Chateau De Cenac Eulalie  ($25+/-)        Available in the US

This wine was also dumped into the “intense and complex” category, which for some might be off-putting. Gary was impressed with this wine’s spicy oak and blackberry nose and its delicious blend of smooth tannins that provided a truly long, enjoyable, silky finish. Lisa awarded it “best in show.”

2006 Chateau De Cenac Prestige ($18 - $20)  Available in the US

We were delighted to meet Chateau De Cenac winemaker Didier Pelvillain at Table 15 and learn a bit about his family-owned winery.  Didier is one of the three Pelvillain brothers and is clearly a master at his craft, since he charmed us with both his high-end Eulalie and the lower-priced Prestige label.  The Prestige was just delicious with great balance of fruit and tannins and a long silky finish just like its cousin.  At $18 this is steal.

We’ve written extensively about the Malbecs from Argentina and are big fans of their big taste.  We appreciated the opportunity to further our education and discover Malbec’s origins.  And we wish the traveling Cahors Malbec show “bon chance” as it makes its way across the New World.