Malbec grape

Malbec is a flavoursome grape variety that produces wines of very deep colour - known as the “black wines” of Cahors. The wines contain a high percentage of anthocyanins and are well-structured thanks to firm tannins. The high acidity also means they are superior food matching wines. These qualities mean Cahors generally age well.

Malbec’s qualities are aromatic complexity where black fruit (black berries, morello cherries, black currants and plums) mix with aromatic notes of liquorice, toast and leather, equally on the palate.

It is a round and black grape with medium sized berries, with fairly open, loose clusters and quite juicy seeds

Malbec is not easy to grow but does well in Cahors where the lack of humidity and mildew is important. It is an early harvest variety. The vines are fairly vigorous, generally capricious, dislikes humid soils and needs to achieve optimal ripeness. It is sensitive to winter and spring frost; its early bud-bursting is subject to shattering (a problem on the decrease thanks to clone selection, high density plantations, and the use of reliable rootstock). It was in 1956 that a severe freeze destroyed most of the vines, reducing the region’s annual crop by 90%. While fairly resistant to stress it but dislikes mildew, grey rot and excoriosis. Malbec is well-adapted to limestone terrain, it is often planted on gravely-clay or chalky-clay soil.

The Cahors wines of today from the new breed of growers and winemakers are not the same as those our fathers and grandfathers experienced. They are definitely something NEW – POWERFUL but ELEGANT and definitely ACCESSIBLE. They are succeeding in producing exceptional smooth, sophisticated, elegant, big mouth-filling wines, enjoyable young but with good ageing potential.

It is generally thought that the Malbec grape variety originates from Cahors and Quercy hillsides in Southwest France where it is usually called Auxerrois (not to be confused with the white grape variety from Alsace, also called Pinot Auxerrois), Pressac, Noir de Pressac or Gros Noir. In the Loire Valley it is called Cot. It is known under the denomination of Malbec in Bordeaux (originally spelt Malbeck, the name of a merchant who supposedly developed the variety in Médoc…). It is also called Mauzat, Soumancigne, Grifforin, Vesparol and Prolongeau, depending upon the regions.