Malbec is frequently referred to by major newspapers as a “populist wine” and it is almost solely responsible for putting Argentinean wines on the common wine-drinker’s map. Though the Malbec grape is one of the six main, traditional red wine grapes used by French vintners, and though it can naturally grow almost anywhere, it was always relegated to a secondary role as an important but minor blending element to compliment Merlots and other “serious” wines. Its importance in France remains depressed by this perspective today.
Yet this grape, which thrives in warmer, drier, sun-drenched climates that are not as common for French vineyards as they are in Argentina, produces a strong, very terrior-expressive wine when produced as a varietal. Its flavor palette and body has people all over the world loving it. Malbecs tend to have a deep color, a high amount of tannin that gives it its crisp strength, and often exhibits tones of plum.
The story of Malbec’s modern success has to do with how it has been grown. Viewed as a secondary grape, it didn’t receive the attention of growers that others did, so little effort was put into improving and perfecting its flavor profile. Thought it was originally brought to Argentina, the country that was to make it an international star, in the mid 1800s, it didn’t begin to develop until more than a century later. Argentine growers were looking to increase their production of premium wines, and they noticed that this unique grape produced wines with gripping flavor. Their attentions thus focused, it took another few decades to realize that over-watering, which did produce a very high yield, also produced an overly simplistic, boring wine. With this figured out, only time, and surviving the “great vine pull” of the 1980’s, was needed for this wine to flourish.
It first gained popularity across Argentina for producing potent, inky reds with rich, smooth tannins that were both powerfully flavorful and easy to drink. Yet even 10 years ago, there were only a few bottles of any Argentine wine likely to be found in a U.S. wine store. Then, something happened. As the quality improved, common wine-drinkers realized that these affordable Argentinean Malbecs were easy to drink, have accessible flavor profiles that are fun to identify but not overly astringent nor too complex, and taste great. Since 2005, The New York Times reports that “shipments of Argentine malbec to the United States have quintupled.” Part of the story is that while the average European wine has gotten more expensive due to the relatively weaker dollar, this has not happened to those from South America. This economic reality just served to emphasize that Malbecs are perfectly-designed to appeal to the average wine drinker.
Straightforward, juicy, occasional nuanced but identifiable fruit flavors, and a reasonable price range have all served to make this little, disregarded wine into an international superstar that most stores can’t keep on the shelves. Anyone looking for an enjoyable red that is forgiving and likely to be enjoyable to a wide variety of people who enjoy wine but aren’t trained connoisseurs will appreciate an Argentinean Malbec.
Malbec Used to Be a Lowly Grape Used for Blends. This Wine’s Rise to Popularity Came from Argentine Politics and Global Economic Changes.
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