It is not so long ago that Malbec wine was know only to few wine lovers – and then only as one of the many wines that contributed to the world famous blends that are produced in the Bordeaux region of France. The ‘Bordeaux Blend‘ as it is known consists primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, however the cellar master may also add Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and, yes Malbec. However, marketing Malbec as a stand alone wine is a relatively recent development – in fact it has only risen to prominence in the last decade, at the least in the United States of America. the rise of Malbec started when winemakers in Cahors France realized that the deep fruity flavor of Malbec made it the perfect table wine – and from then on this wine only grew in popularity.
It is not that the possibilities of Malbec were completely overlooked. the fact of the matter is that the vines that provide the grapes that produce Malbec are extremely vulnerable to rot and disease. Grown in France the Malbec vines were a hit and miss proposition for wineries. They could easily be lost to disease prior to harvest. this simply did not make the varietal a logical choice for widespread planting and harvesting and seemingly doomed Malbec to its status as an afterthought in the production of the famous ‘Bordeaux Blend’.
However, there was one country where the popularity of Malbec has allowed it to remain a favorite among consumers – and that is Argentina where it has been enjoyed for over a century. In the middle of the 19th century winemakers from Argentina were in search of a grape that would allow their wines to compete with the very best blends in the world. to this end they traveled to France to meet with a famous French agronomist named Michel Pouget. The result of the meeting was the import of Malbec cuttings into Argentina. The hot, high elevation region of Mendoza transformed Malbec vines – which thrived in Mendoza free of the disease and rot problems that had plagued them in France.
The Malbec wines of Argentina continued to become more and more refined – however they remained relatively unknown outside the borders of the country. The the global economic crisis of 2000 caused the world economy to contract sharply. Wines from Europe imported into the U.S. (the largest wine market in the world) rose steeply. Demand however remained robust and it was time for the American consumer to be introduced to a lower cost alternative to European wines – it was time for Malbec to shine.
Malbec is today produced in the country where it was originally found – France, as well as Chile and of course Argentina. It is still one of the most popular red wines in the U.S. Discovered by people who wanted a delicious alternative to pricey old world wines it was embraced by consumers, rather than wine experts and it appears that those consumers will continue to feel an affection for Malbec for the foreseeable future.