The Site for Malbec Lovers | Malbec Wine Online
Welcome to Malbec Wine Online! Here you can find Malbec wine reviews, wine comparisons and recommendations. Also, I’m going to share with you information about Malbec and the best tips to enjoy this incredible wine. If you’re interested, keep on reading.
- What is Malbec Wine?
- Malbec tasting notes
- What colour is Malbec?
- What type of wine is Malbec?
- Is Malbec a cheap wine?
- How many calories are in a glass of Malbec wine?
- Where is Malbec produced?
- Argentinian Malbec and French Malbec
- Pairing Malbec wine
What is Malbec Wine?
Let’s start by describing what Malbec is. Malbec wine is a type of red wine made with a purple grape variety with the same name, native to the Cahors region, France.
Malbec tasting notes
If we’d want to talk about Malbec’s specific characteristics, we should think about its origin because of the differences in the farmland and wine-making. For example, burning sun and dry weather give Argentine Malbec its typical fruity, sweet, floral notes, with reminiscences of cherries and plums. On the other hand, the French variety is darker, shows blackberries tasting notes and isn’t as fruity as Argentine wine. As this wine ages in oak barrels, it becomes more complex, and it shows vanilla, coffee, plums and chocolate notes. But if the wine is aged in bottles, it shows leather and cinnamon notes.
What colour is Malbec?
Malbec grapes tend to be dark in colour and rich in tannins. So, it has a deep purple colour when it’s young (three or four years after its harvest). But if we drink the wine after ageing in barrels, we may see that its colour becomes more orange or brown (because the wood might rust its colour), but always dark.
What type of wine is Malbec?
Malbec is an easy-drinking wine with fairly low acidity. It’s a full-bodied wine, and on your palate, it feels smooth and thick. Although it’s considered a dry wine, it is sweeter than most red wines, never aggressive. When you drink a glass of Malbec, you usually will find a velvety finish.
Is Malbec a cheap wine?
You can find good quality Malbec within a wide price range. For example, a Malbec Trivento can cost around 10 dollars, while the price of a Catena Zapata can rise to 300. There are a wide variety of factors that influence when putting a value on a wine. This explains why you can sometimes pay thousands of dollars for a wine that, at first glance, does not seem very different from others that sell for $10.
There are wines called “icons”. These wines are products for collectors or contests and compete worldwide. These can cost up to 10,000 euros. These iconic wines come from small productions, are made with specific grapes and even within a specific area or vineyard. The brand also produces a very important added value. For example, elements such as its continuity, prestige or the label influence the price. Also, it’s key the fame of the winemaker who made the drink. So, we could say that product marketing is essential.
Regarding the cheaper wines, it does not mean that the quality is inferior. But the production is more massive. But surely, the ingredients, the bottle type or the special corks aren’t going to be the same as those of the iconic wines. All this influences when placing a price. In this case, only medium or large wineries that have productions of more than two million litres are involved.
How many calories are in a glass of Malbec wine?
It’s usually said that the best things in life are either illegal, immoral or fattening. And maybe Malbec isn’t the exception. But the purpose of life is to enjoy every moment. So what better than to have a glass of wine! However, if you are on a diet, or if you are careful about what you eat, you need to know about the nutritional facts of Malbec. It depends on the varietal, type of wine or ageing. So, at first, let’s remember the number of calories recommended per day. Of course, it depends on your age, gender or activity; an average woman between 25-50 years old needs about 2000 per day. And for an average man the same age, the recommended daily calorie intake is about 2800.
The higher the alcohol content of a wine, the more calories it has. An average Malbec is high in alcohol content; about 13% – 14%. If we consider that the standard pour for a glass of wine is 150 ml (5 ounces), you’ll be consuming 123 calories every time you drink a glass of Malbec wine. On the other hand, pay attention when you go to a pub or a restaurant. Waiters tend to serve glasses bigger than normal, so watch out!
Where is Malbec produced?
Nowadays, Argentina has the first place as a producer of Malbec wine, with about 77.000 acres planted, followed by France (15.000 acres), the US, Italy, Spain, South Africa and New Zealand.
In Argentina, the most important regions are located along Andes Mountains. We have Mendoza in first place, followed by San Juan, Patagonia, Salta and La Rioja.
In France, where Malbec originates from, it’s produced in Cahors, in South West France.
Argentinian Malbec and French Malbec
Are they different? Which is the best? Although Malbec comes from France, the city of Mendoza, Argentina, is the world capital of Malbec. Argentinian Malbec characterizes by its dark colour, intense, fruity flavour, softer tannins and velvety texture. On the contrary, French wine has mouth-drying tannins and less alcohol content than Argentine wine. Besides, French Malbec is more structured. But why are these differences?
At first, grapes from Argentina are a bit different from French grapes; they are smaller, and the bunches look tight. It’s said that the first migrants that come to Argentina brought a type of grape that could have been extinct in France (because of pests that attacked French vineyards in those days). However, the most important reason is the “terroir”. That is a French term that describes the distinctive features of a region where a plant is grown. Factors such as temperature, climate and soil composition affect the final product. Argentina offers a great diversity of terroirs. That means that a Malbec from Mendoza could be slightly different from a Malbec from Salta (northern Argentina). But in this article, we’re going to focus in describe Mendoza because it’s the centre of Malbec wine production in Argentina.
Mendoza characterizes by its high altitude, sun-blessed land and desert climate (hot summers and cold winters). As a result, we’ll get a fruity wine with softer tannins and a smooth mouthfeel. On the other hand, Cahors, southwest of France, is distinguished by its limestone soil rich in calcium. This mineral is the main reason for the acidity of the grape. As a result, we’ll get a well-structured wine with firm tannins and more astringent than the Argentine version.
Pairing Malbec Wine
Although there aren’t strict rules to pair wines, we want to suggest some meals if you like to get out the most out of your Malbec.
* Red meat: Malbec wine is the perfect company to leaner meats, such as tenderloin (eye fillet) or flank steak, and grilled meats. Also, if you want to make your experience better, try not to season the meat too much.
*Fish: Despite fish pairs usually with white wines, there are some exceptions. If you are adventurous, you can try pairing Malbec with salmon or swordfish.
*Pasta: If you are a lover of cannelloni or lasagne with tomato sauce, try to pair them with Malbec. You won’t regret it!
*Cheese: Next time you invite friends and prepare a classical cheeseboard, think about Malbec. Here is a list of cheeses you can pair with Malbec: Roquefort, Emmental, Gruyere, Mozzarella.
*Desserts: Why not pairing Malbec with something sweet? Pair Malbec with chocolate mousse, for example.
*Other meals: If you are willing to experiment in different ways, why not pairing Malbec with Japanese Sushi or Italian Pizza? Why not a Mexican mole or meat tacos? Even some Chinese meals such as Chop Suey or Wok may pair with Malbec very well. Also, duck or lamb meat.
And don’t forget vegetables. Malbec’s acidity is a perfect couple of zucchinis, tomatoes and onions.
These are our recommendations. But Malbec is so versatile that we are sure you’ll be able to find much more ways to pair this incredible wine. Remember that pairing is something personal. So much happens outside of your comfort zone. Enjoy!
