32. Diving Into All Things Malbec

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Transcript

The Wineitupanotch Podcast - Episode 32: All About Malbec
 
Hello, and welcome to The Wineitupanotch Podcast, a podcast where we talk about wine, life and everything in between. 

My name is Anshu Grover, I'm a certified wine specialist, your host, and I am so thrilled that you've decided to join me today. Thank you so much for doing so. 

Today we are talking about Malbec. 

Now there is no question that Malbec is one of the most successful black grapes in wine today. People seem to love it. I don't really hear very many people saying they hate Malbec - it's usually I love Malbec. 

 And for good reason. 

 Malbec is deep and it can be quite rich and satisfying, but depending on the expression, it can also be extremely kind of easygoing, easy drinking and it pairs quite well with food. 

 But there's more to Malbec than meets the eye and that's what we're going to dig into today because Malbec actually comes in a range of expressions and styles and comes from different parts of the world. So there's quite a bit to dig into, especially for someone who really loves wine! 

Now, the first thing we need to do is absolutely acknowledge that one of the most important places in the world for Malbec is Argentina. 

I think for most people, if I say the word Malbec, you will automatically think of Argentina. And that is because in the last 20 or so years, Malbec really has found its home in Argentina and Argentina has found its success in Malbec. So we're going to dig a little bit into that, but it's important to know that Malbec as a grape is not only grown in Argentina and it is finding success in other parts of the world and is also quite different in its expression depending on where in the world it's from. 

So I think what we can do is talk a little bit about the history of Malbec, where it comes from, some of its characteristics as a grape, and then we can get into the various styles that you can find in different places. 

So let's start with Malbec as a grape. 

Malbec is likely to be French in origin. 

There is considerable evidence suggesting that it's actually from Southwestern France. It was quite a popular grape. 

[00:02:00] There's a story, if you will, that it was Eleanor Aquitaine's favorite grape. So it was quite in fashion for a little while!

But then it met with some unfortunate circumstances and those are actually tied to its viticultural characteristics. 

Let's talk about that in a moment, but before we go there, I think I'd like to just pause on its origin story. Because while its origins might actually be from Southwest France, it's kind of broadly associated with Bordeaux. And in Bordeaux, even today, it is one of six accepted varieties in all of the appellations of origin of Bordeaux. And in the past, it was a very popularly planted grape. 

So let's say, you know, in the 1800s, it was one of the more popular grapes but after phylloxera hit Bordeaux, it was replaced and then replaced further in the frost of 1956 - it was a devastating frost for the Bordeaux region - and during that time Malbec was once again replaced, primarily with Merlot. 

So when you think about Bordeaux, if you're knowledgeable about wine, you may actually consider Malbec is one of the six key black grapes of Bordeaux. But it's important to know that it was really supplanted by Merlot. And the reason for that is that essentially Malbec can kind of be a tricky grape to grow, especially in the Bordeaux climate. 

 So let's talk about Malbec a little bit as a grape. 

Malbec is a thick skinned grape that is black and color and it's got a couple of peculiarities in terms of its viticultural characteristics i.e. how it behaves in the vineyard. 

Specifically, it is quite susceptible to something called coulure which occurs in the spring. Coulure actually happens when there's inclement weather in the spring - so either rain or lots of cloud cover - and essentially as the grape vine is bursting berries to go into the growing season, the berries don't form. 

 Some grapes are more susceptible to coulure than others. All of them can be impacted by coulure in inclement weather, but 

[00:04:00] 

Malbec happens to be part of a small group of grapes that is quite affected by coulure. 

It can also fall victim to spring frost because it is a generally early budding variety. And it ripens kind of mid season, if you will, or I should say, in the life cycle of ripening of grapes, it's sort of mid ripening. 

So the fact that it's mid ripening is positive because that means that you don't necessarily need a really long growing season for it to ripen fully, you can avoid bad weather in autumn. - you know, things like frost or rain or cold - because likely the grapes will be ripened in before that. 

But the fact that it's relatively early budding is problematic in cooler climates because spring frost can be a risk. 

And if spring frost is a risk and you've got Malbec planted, you have the risk of losing some of your yield or your crop to spring frost because by its very nature, Malbec is a little bit more susceptible to spring frost because it's early budding. 

Now it shares this characteristic with a lot of other grapes that are early budding but in the context of Bordeaux specifically and its success, or shall we say lack of success there, the Bordeaux climate, generally speaking while it's a little warmer is quite susceptible to extreme weather events, it can be cooler in the spring. 

And so the fact that the grape is early budding can be problematic in years where there are extreme frost events. As I mentioned in the fifties. Furthermore, Bordeaux often has inclement weather in terms of cloud cover and rain. And so the fact that it's susceptible to coulure also makes it perhaps not the ideal grape, considering that in Bordeaux, you can have six or seven different grape varieties in a blend. 

 As a grower and a producer, you're wanting to maximize your yield and the quality of your grapes. So when you're thinking about which grapes that you're going to plant in the vineyard and which grapes you're going to really optimize in your wines, Malbec doesn't necessarily come to the forefront. 

And so that really explains the genesis of how over time Malbec really became more of a 

[00:06:00] 

secondary grape in the Bordeaux region. Still used today, still planted in smaller quantities. And we'll talk a little bit about some areas where it is actually quite prominent in Bordeaux - one area in particular. 

But in general, it kind of lost its footing in Bordeaux. Not in France altogether, because there is one place where Malbec is still the star player. But in Bordeaux, yes, it's become a little bit more of a minor grape, at least at this point in time. 

Now we take those viticultural characteristics that I just talked about of the Malbec grape and we apply them in the context of Argentina where the weather is much better, it's warmer. It's generally (other than certain years where there might be an El Nino/El Nina effect) it's generally more predictable and stable and you generally have a better growing environment for Malbec.

How did Malbec get to Argentina? That's a great question. Argentina's history is very much predicated on the immigration of Europeans into the country who brought along a lot of their cultures including their interest and love of wine. 

So Malbec cuttings first made their way into the country in around the mid 1800s. That was before the phylloxera crisis crossed over the world and hit France. 

 For those who may not know, phylloxera is a louse. It’s a small little insect that buries itself in the ground and eats away at the roots of vines and essentially kills them, decimates them. 

In the mid 1800s, there was a massive crisis of phylloxera more or less around the world. There are some places that didn't fall victim to the phylloxera crisis but France most definitely did. And it's just fortunate that cuttings of the Malbec variety left France and made their way into Argentina before the phylloxera crisis hit. 

So essentially Argentina has been growing Malbec for a really long time. And also been growing disease-free Malbec…..so Argentina has history with the grape. It also has some champions of the grape who really worked at finding the right clones, the right planting materials such as rootstocks, finding the right sites for the grape and 

[00:08:00] 

really promoting it on a world stage. 

One of the key names that comes to mind is Dr. Nicholas Catena. Most people who are familiar with wine will be familiar with the Catena brand out of Argentina. It's a huge brand today and the founder of that family owned brand was Dr. Nicolas Catena who really took an interest in Malbec and spent a lot of time researching it, cultivating it, creating massal selection in the vineyard (which is picking out the best vines and replanting those again to create favorable characteristics) and then actually bringing that grape onto the world stage. 

So there's been, I would say, a lot of push on the Malbec grape within the country and a lot of interest in its success. 

And it definitely has found a spiritual home in Argentina because it expresses itself very beautifully in the terroir of the country. There's something about the combination in Argentina of dry conditions, warm conditions because of lower latitudes, but higher altitudes in the country where vineyards are planted. You know, kind of right at the foothills of mountains or almost right in the slopes of the mountains. 

So you get these long, hot days where the grape can really ripen; those thick skins can really build up great flavor profiles and good tannins but also cooling influences from things like altitude and winds which will keep the grape fresh and keep it from becoming overripe that really, you know, they sing. 

Let's be honest. 

They sing in Argentina and then Argentina has done a brilliant job of bringing those wines out to the export market and promoting them. 

 So that really has explained to the success of the Malbec grape in Argentina. And I think we would be remiss to not pause for a little bit and spend some time really really digging into what that means in Argentina specifically.

Argentina and Malbec! I mean, it's a true love story, if you ask me. There's no question that Argentina and Malbec go hand in hand. Malbec is in fact Argentina's signature grape. There are a lot of old vine plantings in the country and it is the most planted of the black and white grapes. So it's a black grape, but it's the most planted grape overall. And it 

[00:10:00] 

represents about 22% of the vineyard plantings in Argentina overall. 

The interesting thing is plantings have actually increased almost 350% from the late 1990s. 

Call it about 1995 through to about 2018, even though overall in the country, plantings of vines have kind of gone down a little bit. And this increase in (Malbec) plantings is really attributable to two things. 

Firstly, Argentinians themselves used to consume a lot of wines - still do! - and used to consume wine made mostly from Criollo varieties, which are local varieties to Argentina….but their own domestic consumption shifted more towards the consumption of black grapes. 

And so they themselves consumed and wanted to consume more black-grape based wines. And Malbec, you know, fits into that beautifully and it's successful in the country. 

But also that increase in plantings is very much driven by the incredible international interest in the Malbec variety. 

In Argentina, we get a range of styles of wines made from Malbec. So a lot of single varietal wines for sure but there are also blends and I've had some very interesting blends of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Syrah…..Bordeaux type blends or French blends, if you will. And there's some rosé made from Malbec as well. 

So it's quite a versatile grape in that way in the country. And the interesting thing is, as we talked about earlier - in those beautiful, warm, dry, sunny conditions, it can produce these really deeply colored, finely tannined wines. 

The tannins will still be noticeable because Malbec actually has a relatively structured tannic profile. The tannins can be quite pronounced and so can the aromas and the flavors of the wine be quite pronounced if it's treated properly in the vineyard….if the grape is really treated in a way that is aimed at producing high quality. When that's the case, you can get really pronounced, expressive wines with good tannic structure, good acidity, deep color and quite a black fruited profile….

[00:12:00] 

if the growing conditions are a little warmer

If they're a little cooler in Argentina, there's some red fruit notes that creep in there. Sometimes the acidity gets a little higher. Again, depending on treatment and the vineyard and where the site is, tannin levels can range as well. 

So sometimes the tannins are quite present, but they're beautifully soft. Sometimes the tannins are a little bit less present because perhaps the grapes were not as ripe. 

And another really great thing is there's quite the quality and price range in Argentina. So everything from inexpensive, more mass produced wines are made from Argentinian Malbec all the way through to really premium examples that really cost a lot and stand on the world stage alongside other really great wines that are very age worthy and are in collectors’ cellars. 

In terms of where in the country Malbec is grown - in Argentina, it is very closely associated with Mendoza. In Mendoza, it represents almost 50% of plantings. And within the Mendoza province itself, it's very closely related with Central Mendoza and the Uco Valley -  two areas where some of the best quality examples come from. And those two areas are also higher altitude so they tend to produce very refined, very elegant, very rich, plush fruit-forward examples from the Malbec grape. 

One thing to know about Mendoza though is that the growing conditions can be variable. So in certain parts of the province it's warmer, there are hailstorms that happen in Mendoza (quite famously) because of the Andes being so close by is associated with strong hail activity, and that is variable across the province. 

So in Southern Mendoza for example, there can be quite a bit more hail exposure versus other parts. And also the growing conditions, the elevations, the slope, the aspect - it all differs across the province. So one of the things that a lot of Mendoza producers of Malbec do is they own vineyards, or they have contracts with vineyards across the province, and they tend to blend quite a bit from different parcels of land in different vineyards to come up with their final cuvee which allows for 

[00:14:00] 

flexibility in the face of loss of crop for bad weather reasons or hail damage or even just trying to pull out different nuanced characteristics of the grape and get a more expressive and characterful final wine by blending different component wines together. 

It's quite a nice aspect I think of the viticultural practices within Argentina and Mendoza specifically. So it's one thing to keep in mind. 

Now, that's not to say that there are not single region or single vineyard wines being made. There absolutely are. But when you see just “Mendoza” on a bottle label from Argentina that's Malbec, it is likely that that wine is blended using fruit from all across the province. It's an important thing to keep in mind - as you get more specific in region and you see a more specific labeling say perhaps Uco Valley, or you see even something more specific like single vineyard names then likely, you're getting closer to something that is very specific to the label itself and not blended from across the province. 

So that really is Malbec in a nutshell in Argentina. 

I think one of the things that I failed to mention in the viticultural characteristics of Malbec when we talked about the fact that it's early budding and it's mid ripening is the fact that Malbec naturally is quite a vigorous grape. 

 For people who have not spent a ton of time studying wine - I like to think of and describe vigor by the way of…. you know, somebody who's got hair, for example, that grows naturally really fast or nails the grow beautifully and really fast versus someone else who doesn't. 

We're all people, but we just have different characteristics and some, you know, maybe we even just grow taller when we're younger than someone else. So vigor really describes how well or how large a plant grows. And Malbec is a naturally vigorous variety. It also is a high yielding variety. So another reason it's been quite popular is it can yield a lot of fruit again in the right conditions and the right years withoutnsome of the inclement weather we talked about. But when it's left to be too vigorous or it is allowed to have too high yields 

[00:16:00] 

this can actually affect the quality of the grapes that you get. 

So a grape vine is trying to do its best to grow. It's either going to grow green canopy like leaves and shoots, or it's going to grow grapes. And the leaves and shoots are what is really described by vigor. It means that it's going to be, you know, really green and big and fluffy but that can take away from how much fruit it can grow or how well that fruit grows and ripens. 

So vigor and yields do need to be controlled quite closely for high quality Malbec. 

One thing to remember is that not everybody's aim is to produce the highest quality of wine. Sometimes wines are made - I don't want to say using shortcuts, that's not fair, but - with practices that are maybe not as focussed on generating the best quality. In those instances, it could be possible that the focus is not necessarily on managing vigor or managing yields or you know, maybe the focus is really on higher yields from the vines. And perhaps producing less expressive examples of Malbec that are less expensive and that are easier going. 

So, you know, the fact that it's vigorous and that it's high yielding is just another aspect of interest when it comes to the Malbec grape that a grower and a producer is focused on and trying to maximize and optimize. 

Let's talk now a little bit about treatment of Malbec in the winery. The best examples are absolutely aged in oak because of the structure of Malbec - with good acidity and high tannins - can respond really well to oak treatment and wines that have been treated in oak - sometimes varying percentages of new oak, but oak generally speaking - will have generally plusher tannins. 

They will have those oak related flavors of things like vanilla and baking spice. But it's important to know that not all Malbec, whether it be premium Malbec or less expensive Malbec, has been treated with oak. 

And that could be for a range of reasons. When we're talking about premium examples, there are some producers out there that really want to focus on the purity of the fruit and showcase the beautiful black fruit and slightly red fruited notes of the Malbec grape. It's a very, as we've talked about, pleasant profile. 

[00:18:00]

And it goes well with certain dishes. And for some producers it's paramount to really just let that shine and not have oak interfere. And then also there are more inexpensive examples. I'm sure you can think of an example or you might see one in the liquor store when you're next there that isn't terribly preciously priced. 

And so obviously it's been produced in a different way and handled a different way. 

Oak treatment is very, very expensive when it comes to aging wines or fermenting wines in oak. That's not an inexpensive undertaking. So in those instances where perhaps quantity is the focus  - like producing high volumes of wine, producing less expensive wines, catering to a different segment of the market - in those instances, it's unlikely that Malbec would have been treated with oak or if it has, they might be oak chips or oak staves which are added during the fermentation process, which can kind of give the essence of oak rather cheaply and quickly without full fledged oak treatment and maturation in barrels. 

So if you're looking at a Malbec and trying to learn it more or trying to decide what you want to buy, what you want to try…. have a look at whether the label or the specifications of the particular bottle that you're interested in talk about oak and do they talk about barrels and do they talk about lengthy treatment in barrels or do they talk not about oak at all and (rather) talk more about a fresh fruity style….or they mentioned oak hints but are not talking about how those oak hints came to be in the wine …..that can be a little bit of a telltale sign of whether the wine was matured in barrel or not. Not necessarily good or bad, just something to know stylistically! 

 I do find Malbec for me personally responds really well to oak. I really like the mixture of ripe black fruit flavors, where they're present with a good amount of oak treatment, not a heavy amount of oak treatment, but I find that marriage is really nice and you can get some really chocolatey baking spice notes that can be quite pleasing, especially in a plush rich Argentinian Malbec. 

So I mentioned earlier that there is still place and room for Malbec in France. 

We talked about the fact that it is one of six permitted varietals in Bordeaux. 

[00:20:00] 

When it's used, it can definitely add body and color and rich fruit to the blend. But there is one place in France where Malbec is particularly important and that is Cahors in Southwest France. It's not actually that far from the Bordeaux region, but the Cahors appellation - which is spelled C-A-H-O-R-S is a distinct and unique appellation that is further inland. 

So Bordeaux itself is quite coastal it's quite close to the Atlantic ocean. Whereas Cahors is slightly south and slightly west making it less prone to the influences of the Atlantic ocean. It's warmer. It's a little drier. And there are, as I mentioned earlier in this episode, links back to Cahors as being sort of the birthplace of the Malbec grape. 

So it's quite well-rooted there and it does, it does better, frankly! It can get a little riper, coulure is less of an issue, rot and mildew can be less of an issue. Still an issue but, treatment of things like rot and mildew, which is usually done by spraying and application of treatments that can be costly and time-consuming - there’s a little bit less of a need for that there. 

So the grape tends to thrive and do better. And as I mentioned, it has a historical connection to the region. 

Today, there are only about 3,300 hectors of Malbec planted in the Cahors appellation. There's room for more, but that's all that's planted. So it's not a huge amount of plantings when you think about the amount that's planted in Argentina, which I think is, north of about a hundred thousand hectares. But, you know, it's not insignificant either. 

And the important thing about Cahors is that this appellation in Southwest France really focuses on Malbec. 

The wines, that carry the appellation name " Cahors" must be made with a minimum of 70% Malbec so it's definitely a star player in those wines and in the region. They are permitted to use up to 30% of either Tannat or Merlot but the reality is very few producers are blending those grapes in in any major quantity. And more and more of the highest quality examples are 

[00:22:00] 

really focused on 90-100% Malbec. 

Cahors Malbec however is very different in profile from the Argentinian variety. Where Argentinian Malbec is often very plush, very fruit forward, nice structure, but well-balanced with a really beautiful lush fruit profile, Malbec from Cahors….. it's described as herbal, perhaps smoky, a little bit more structured, a little leaner even and that really does come down to the growing conditions, the soil, the weather, the sun exposure, and how Malbec responds in that environment. 

So in terms of the profile of a Cahors Malbec, let's go through it. 

In Cahors, there can be more of a range (actually in Argentina, too but more) of a range of expression of the grape. So you can get everything from medium intensity, all the way to fairly pronounced intensity aromas and flavors in the wine. (I would put Argentina a little higher on that scale, more towards medium plus to pronounced intensity if it's grown properly) 

In Cahors, you get a little bit more of a red fruited character, sometimes a little bit of herbalness because the conditions are not as warm/not as dry so the grapes may not attain the same level of ripeness. And the tannins are still going to be the same. So they're going to be maybe even a little bit higher, a little bit more coarse if you will. And there's a lot of emphasis on oak treatment in the Cahors appellation so that also adds to the tannic profile. 

So all up, you're still looking at a deeply coloured wine, a rich wine, but one with a little bit more of an herbal leaning, a little bit of herbaceous savoury character than a really pure fruit driven example from Argentina. 

There are beautiful examples of Malbec being made in Cahors as well. I personally love them. I love the structured character of them. I have lots of love for Argentinian Malbec as well!….but the expressions are so different. 

And these days, there's a lot of Malbec from Cahors that is really quite affordable and well-priced, and it's really fun to get the two wines side-by-side because once you put them in the glass, as long as they have been vinified 

[00:24:00] 

(meaning treated in the winery) in the traditional way that's associated with those two regions, you can really sense the difference in what a Malbec from France from Cahors specifically tastes like versus one from Argentina and it's just really fascinating to see how the same grape can express itself differently based on terroir, because terroir is really a concept in terms of climate soils. winemaker treatments, oak treatments - these are all things that contribute to the concept of terroir. And I find Malbec really expresses it well when you look at those two regions. 

Okay!! 

So that's a little bit about Malbec in terms of the two major places in the world where you will find quality Malbec being made. But that doesn't mean that those are the only places in the world! 

Malbec is a popular grape. It has attained a lot of status on the world scale with consumers. It is a grape that a lot of people are familiar with and will reach for. It's a grape that does really well with thicker, richer meat dishes. I, you know, often think of it has kind of a barbecue wine if you will. It does really well with roasted and barbecued meats. 

So it's got a place in most people's wine glass and so of course, it's going to be planted in other places than just those two benchmark regions, if you will!

So let's go through that quickly and talk a little bit about where there are other interesting examples of Malbec being made. And I think one thing you're going to find as a thread through all of this is that most of the areas where Malbec is being made more successfully - uh, there's experimental plantings everywhere, of course! But where is it finding success with producers and with consumers? They tend to be drier, warmer climates. 

Again, let's go back to some of those viticultural characteristics of Malbec that are important. It's earlier ripening. So, you want some place that where the season starts relatively early, where there isn't as much spring frost risk, where the weather is, you know, not as inclement. 

Same thing with the fact that it can be prone to rot. So somewhere where it doesn't rain as much, and those warm conditions and sunny conditions really help with the tannin and flavor development. 

So as I go through these (places), you know, you're probably going to be thinking, 

[00:26:00] 

Oh yeah, those are areas where it does tend to be a little bit drier and warmer. 

So California is one area where Malbec is finding a lot of success and it's finding a home. Some of the areas that are specifically associated with Malbec include Alexander Valley - there’s some notable plantings there….the Rockpile AVA in California….Napa Valley of course. Again, that makes sense because Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc…..hese are grapes that are from Bordeaux that are planted in California. So of course Malbec would make sense there as well. And it's also very dry and warm there. 

And interestingly, the Walla Walla Valley of Washington and Oregon - there are some good plantings of Malbec here as well. 

In Canada, there are some experimental plantings of Malbec. In some places Canada may be considered to have a marginal climate for Malbec, but there are some areas that are quite warm. And so there are some plantings and, you know, its finding some success in Canada as well. 

In Chile, which probably, you know, logically makes a lot of sense…. if it does well in Argentina, then it should do well in Chile. Now, the growing conditions are quite different in Chile, but in the Elqui Valley specifically it's really starting to show some promise when it comes to Malbec and in the country as a whole, there is Malbec grown. 

Within Spain, Malbec is one of the permitted grape varieties in the blend that makes up wines from Ribera Del Duero. Those wines have to be made up of 75% Tempranillo, but there are other permitted grape varieties that can make up the remaining 25% of which Malbec is one. And Ribera Del Duero in Spain...again, a really warm, quite dry region. 

New Zealand! Now, New Zealand is a cooler part of the world! You know, I think most of us would think of New Zealand and think of snowcapped mountains and coolness, but there are parts of New Zealand that are quite a bit warmer relative to the whole country. And in particular Hawke's Bay, which is in the North Island (sort of in the Northeast area of the North Island) is an area where some of the grapes that like warmer climatic conditions are really thriving. And so that is really emerging as a great spot for Bordeaux varieties including Malbec and it's becoming more and more popular there.

 [00:28:00] 

I’m going to go back to France for a moment. We talked about Bordeaux. We've talked about Southwest France, specifically Cahors. Let's also talk about the Bergerac appellation - this is also in Southwest France. 

So it's one of the four main authorized grapes that must make up 50% of the wine blend for Bergerac. It's also planted quite a bit in the south of France in Languedoc, and it can be used in IGP wines from the Pays d'Oc. 

 It is also one of the more important grapes of the Loire Valley….not as important as Cabernet Franc, but it is important, especially in the Touraine region. 

And in Bordeaux itself, the Cote de Bourg AOC, which is a smaller AOC in the broader region of Bordeaux, also has a focus on Malbec - 10% of its hectares are planted with Malbec. So that's, you know, pretty interesting. And so that could be a source of some interesting, blends or single varietal lines from the Malbec grape. 

So there you go. Malbec makes its way around the world!! 

Of course, there will be other places, but as I said, those are the notable plantings. 

To sum it up - there’s no doubt Malbec is a runaway success in commercial markets. It's got a day named after it if you didn't know - World Malbec Day; it’s promoted heavily on that day. It's loved by consumers. It has really had great success in certain parts of the world. It was kind of a historical superstar, fell out of favour, and has found its spotlight again. 

And I hope that you will find some Malbec to enjoy after listening to this and that you will continue to put Malbec in your glass. 

I think it's a phenomenal grape. I love to enjoy it from time to time with my barbecue. As I mentioned with steak, it makes a beautiful pairing with even some Asian dishes, depending on how spicy or how those Asian dishes are prepared what the characteristic of the Malbec is…. so if it is a smoother, easier going slightly less rich style it can even go well with some of the Asian dishes I like to enjoy. 

And of course it's a great pairing for charcuterie - for meat and hard cheeses. 

So I personally am a fan! 

I hope you've enjoyed this quick summarization of what Malbec is 

[00:30:00] 

all about. I hope that it's helped you to learn a little bit more about this very important grape. To find some more love for it in your glass and to come back and learn a little bit more about wine grapes with me. 

And with that, I will close off this episode of The Wineitupanotch Podcast. It has been a pleasure to have you. I hope you've learned something new, that you've learned and grown, and that you've enjoyed wining-it-up-a-notch with me! 

And with that, I will wish you a lot of peace love light, and of course, good wine! 

Until next time, cheers!