Today is World Malbec Day, a ‘completely manufactured’ celebration which was created by Argentina to promote their Malbec grapes and has now gained the tag of a world event. Malbec wine is synonymous with Argentina. Born in the hills of South West France, the Malbec grape was once lost to history. But it caught the attention of the world and attained global stardom again. It was in Argentina that the red wine Malbec rose for a fresh start!

Medieval nobles and royalty enjoyed the Malbec grapevine because it was very dark, had strong tannins and got better with passing time. These wines were often called ‘black wine’ because of their opacity and depth. However, Malbec grapes in France did not last long as vineyards of Europe faced a massive setback with the spreading phylloxera, a wine-destroying bug. The bug wreaked havoc in France in the late 1880s and farmers became afraid to grow Malbec over other disease-resistant grapes like Merlot and Cabernet. 

Rebirth of Malbec

However, miles away in Argentina, Malbec was reborn because of the land’s distinctive soil and the country’s beautiful weather patterns. The grapes were grown at high altitude and could benefit from warm days and cool nights.

Finally, in 2011, the ‘Wines of Argentina’ declared April 17 as World Malbec Day. This day commemorates the time that Argentina formally began its journey to establish modern viticulture. With its velvet texture, moderate acidity and smooth tannins, Malbec is a winemaker’s delight. It is remarkable because it ages well. While young wines tend to be fruit-forward, those aged above 5 to 10 years reveal earthy undertones, secondary aroma of leather and spice and a mineral depth.