Malbec wines up-and-coming!

Friday, 27 June, 2014
Keith Macfarlane
International Malbec days took place in Cahors, France from June 16 through June 22 2014. Well, one could ask, why is this of any interest for South Africans?

There are a couple of reasons to take notice. The first being that wine made from the Malbec variety is possibly the up-and-coming wine you will be offering your friends. Secondly, some South African wineries participated in the event by sending some vintages to be tasted on the world stage with those of other countries.

The countries participating were, of course, France, the ‘mother of Malbec’, Argentina, the largest producer and other countries who are investing in this versatile grape variety. USA, New Zealand, Australia, Chile and South Africa were represented in various ways and all presented some of their wines for tasting by a discerning array of sommeliers, winemakers, importers, journalists, restaurateurs and amateurs. Jean-Vincent Ridon of Signal Hill Winery in South Africa, who was featured in a previous number on this website, took it upon himself to bring his own and other Malbecs to the event. (See photo.)

Appreciation for the South African wines ranged from non-committal to excellent. Malbecs from other countries were met with similar reactions as wine preferences are very personal. In summary it can be said there were good wines, great wines and different wines. A good wine should reflect the grape variety, enhanced by the ‘terroir’ which varies greatly throughout the world. Therefore, it follows that Malbecs of any one region can never be said to be the world’s best.

France has been working with Malbec grapes for 2000 years, while the USA planted the first vines less than 20 years ago. South Africa has a long history of winemaking, going back to the 17th century, giving it an advantage in using its ‘terroir’ to the fullest. Another consideration for winemakers is cost, as customers have become very discerning regarding the price/quality ratio. For example, affordability has been a guarantee of USA market penetration for Argentinian Malbec while higher costs have meant that California wines are less known outside the USA.

Currently a mere 450 hectares are planted with Malbec in South Africa, versus 34.000 hectares in Argentina and 4.000 in Cahors. As demand for Malbec is expected to rise steadily worldwide, the future of Malbec in South Africa seems assured.