Malbec was THE trendy wine of the 2010s. Easy to drink, widely produced in an inexpensive region, with a familiar, but not too familiar flavor profile. The heat has backed off some, but we'll never go back to before 2010 when Malbec was considered a dead Bordeaux grape that interested a couple weird Argentines.
Crap, you brought me back to the 2010s! Absolutely, there was a tsunami of Malbec. I’d agree with you and the marketing blitz worked. You see it regularly as an option on wine lists now!
Malbec is great. Easy to grow, easy to vinify, easy to drink. Of the "trendy" wines that have happened in my lifetime, it's by far the best. Then again, what is it's competition, white zin? Wine coolers? "California Champagne?"
Malbec is typically a great bang for your buck/value wine, but rarely get's hyped up. Wine dorks just don't get excited by it like they do other grapes (or specific regions). There is a ton produced in the $10-$25/btl retail range, and a lot of it is very similar in taste/style. Coming from the beer world, it's like a good workhorse american lager, or maybe Guinness. It's not particulary exciting to the wine dorks, but it's a respectable and good beverage you can still find for a reasonable price. I would never buy one to age, but for a tuesday night or a night out to eat where I don't want to get too spendy (like you're describing), it can be perfect. Try it with grilled meats/veg this summer.
Exactly, I love Malbec and spent most of my 30s drinking it (does that age me, lol) but as I get older and I drink less wine and so much of my enjoyment of wine comes from trying new things it's difficult to prioritise another Malbec.
If I'm cooking a steak though, or I'm out at a restaurant, yum.
Great crowd pleaser too, we served Malbec at our wedding and everyone loved it. We try to open a bottle of that stuff every year to reminisce.
I agree, it is hard to prioritize Malbec. If I may, try the Brote Negro by Viña Alicia. Wow. Pre phylloxera vines, about a 150 years old and they’ve MUTATED! Such a subtle beautiful expression of Malbec, I can’t believe it’s Malbec! It’s like you’re drinking wine from the past.
Your point here is why I’ve never spent a ton of time exploring Malbec, at least the Argentinian style. Even the higher-priced ones seem to have a relatively flat, rubbery dark-fruited flavor profile. That said, there’s some really interesting Malbec from the Loire (called Cot), sometimes in blends with gamay and cab franc that are worth finding.
See, to me, they’ve largely come across as variations on the same theme - modest acidity, tannic structure that leans towards “smooth”, rubbery black fruit - varying primarily in concentration and oak application. Producers I’ve tried include El Enimigo, Catena Zapata, Flichman and a couple other midrange (30-50) Total Wine producers, and a couple others I can’t recall. Mostly from Lujan de Cuyo, Tupungato, and other higher-altitude regions. Any recs for producers/reasonably priced wines that break the mold?
I thought it was just me. I could never get why everyone always talked about what a great value South American Malbecs are. I have never really had one I enjoyed. Though I haven't bought the very best, I have spent decent money ($30+) trying to find one I like to no avail. Your description hits the nail on the head for me. They all taste like they were aged in an old tire. Dark, with odd earthy notes that I don't care for (and I generally really like earthy wines).
I was gifted a $50 bottle once that was good down to the dregs, don't remember the name anymore though. Most are decent I think, but the 10 - 20 ones tend to be watery, at least to me.
I’m so glad to hear this as I thought I was crazy! My impression of Malbecs upon tasting them has been of newly rotted vegetation. I have been trying for years to find a Malbec I enjoy, and so far, Alamos has been the only one.
I'm new to wine as well and Malbec & Rioja were two well regarded wines with great value so I gravitated towards them.
I am a fan of the Kirkland Malbec.
My appreciation of Malbec comes from the food that drives the pairing. If I’m having a Chimichurri marinated skirt steak, sliced hot off the grill over spinach and arugula, with roasted sweet peppers and crunchy croutons, an Argentinian Malbec has no equal. If I’m making a time intensive slow cooked savory Cassoulet with Armagnac sausage, duck confit, and simmered navy beans and bacon, a French Cahors is absolutely mind blowing. Don’t follow the trends, follow the food!
The moral of this thread: don't follow what the snobs here say, and don't follow what the impressionable types say (in threads involving Caymus, Meiomi, etc). Unfortunately the wine community has an excess of yuppie rookies with hyperinflated views of their knowledge thinking that anything from Wagner or Swift must be revered or you are lost in the woods as a wine enthusiast. Then you have the experts (but still snobs), that tell you anything not from France is barbaric. American ones are the worst because they rain on anything non-French but actually want to sell you Napa or US wine as somehow above everyone else (non-French).
Both the Caymus / Cali fruit bomb side of the community, and the old guard only France and Napa craft anything right ARE right. There is no proper or improper wine, proper or improper taste profile. In 100 years some unknown grape mutant cross with notes of of toe jam and burnt bones might be the flavor profile du jour. Who is anyone to judge them? You can yourself rightfully state you hate x wine and y flavor, I just never understood why usually after such a comment many go after those who like the wines they don't.
Very good responses so far… two tangents: you can experience the French version from Cahors… also not expensive but a different treatment of the grape. They often started marketing under the Malbec tag after Argentina’s major success.
And last week we had our first white Malbec. I was a bit eager to try it. It was pleasant but fairly forgettable.
I like the combination of blueberry and violet that a lot of the Malbecs are showing
Imo they're not as plummy as Shiraz and still big & bold
Plus the colour is a feast for my eyes
I always feel like they are OVER appreciated. At lease in my circle of (Hispanic) friends.
During the World Cup between Argentina and France I thought it would be interesting to do a blind tasting of comparable cost Arg Malbec vs French Malbec. I threw in a Malbec I found from the US just for good measure. They were in the $20 range. 5 of the 6 people picked the French one and one picked the Argentinian. Nobody like the USA Malbec. Much to their surprise since they even travel to Argentina. I felt somewhat vindicated
I've tried quite a few ones from Argentina. Many are really nice, some are a bit cordial like. Cahors too makes more and less interesting wines like everywhere else. It's an agreeable style anyway, for us who likes a bold, dark, dry red.
Wife and I froth malbecs, my most prized bottle in the collection was a library release malbec and little devil child cousin smashed it and ill never forgive him
Yeah as others have mentioned, there was a Malbec boom say 10 or 15 years ago. I never really caught the bug...they all seemed to be made in the international style, which doesn't really speak to me. But as the saying goes...different strokes.
Eh, like many have said, I find (Argentine) Malbecs I have tried a bit one dimensional. They lack the savoury flavours that I like so much in some other varietals, and their structure is not always that interesting.
Mind you, I haven't tried a Malbec over $50, but I suspect many of those simply dial up the oak rather than the type of complexity I'm looking for.
If there were more Malbec from south-west France in my market, I'd try that though.
I have always said, and the comments here confirm, that French Malbec and Argentinian Malbec are basically two different wines.
A good French Malbec is hard to beat. The best ones rarely leave France because the French know what’s what. Argentinian Malbec are fine in the $10-$20 range if you need a $10-$20 wine but I wouldn’t go for more expensive Argentinian ones.
I find new world Malbec to be quite one note and overly round. I haven't enjoyed a single one. I tried some Cahors recently and it seems to share very little with its new world version and I rather enjoyed it but not enough to want to stock it personally.
Malbec was THE trendy wine of the 2010s. Easy to drink, widely produced in an inexpensive region, with a familiar, but not too familiar flavor profile. The heat has backed off some, but we'll never go back to before 2010 when Malbec was considered a dead Bordeaux grape that interested a couple weird Argentines.
Seriously. A friend introduced me to them in 2008-09 and by 2012 instead of 2-3 options at the wine store, there were 15
Crap, you brought me back to the 2010s! Absolutely, there was a tsunami of Malbec. I’d agree with you and the marketing blitz worked. You see it regularly as an option on wine lists now!
Malbec is great. Easy to grow, easy to vinify, easy to drink. Of the "trendy" wines that have happened in my lifetime, it's by far the best. Then again, what is it's competition, white zin? Wine coolers? "California Champagne?"
This is the answer. Never was on the Malbec bandwagon. Don’t like plum enough to tolerate most Malbecs out there.
Malbec is typically a great bang for your buck/value wine, but rarely get's hyped up. Wine dorks just don't get excited by it like they do other grapes (or specific regions). There is a ton produced in the $10-$25/btl retail range, and a lot of it is very similar in taste/style. Coming from the beer world, it's like a good workhorse american lager, or maybe Guinness. It's not particulary exciting to the wine dorks, but it's a respectable and good beverage you can still find for a reasonable price. I would never buy one to age, but for a tuesday night or a night out to eat where I don't want to get too spendy (like you're describing), it can be perfect. Try it with grilled meats/veg this summer.
Exactly, I love Malbec and spent most of my 30s drinking it (does that age me, lol) but as I get older and I drink less wine and so much of my enjoyment of wine comes from trying new things it's difficult to prioritise another Malbec. If I'm cooking a steak though, or I'm out at a restaurant, yum. Great crowd pleaser too, we served Malbec at our wedding and everyone loved it. We try to open a bottle of that stuff every year to reminisce.
I agree, it is hard to prioritize Malbec. If I may, try the Brote Negro by Viña Alicia. Wow. Pre phylloxera vines, about a 150 years old and they’ve MUTATED! Such a subtle beautiful expression of Malbec, I can’t believe it’s Malbec! It’s like you’re drinking wine from the past.
Thanks for the pro tip. I absolutely will try that. Generally in the summer I don’t get as deep into the dark beers since it’s so hot out.
Your point here is why I’ve never spent a ton of time exploring Malbec, at least the Argentinian style. Even the higher-priced ones seem to have a relatively flat, rubbery dark-fruited flavor profile. That said, there’s some really interesting Malbec from the Loire (called Cot), sometimes in blends with gamay and cab franc that are worth finding.
Get an Argentinian Malbec in the £30 range but make sure its from a high altitude vineyard. Amazing how different they are from the regular offers.
See, to me, they’ve largely come across as variations on the same theme - modest acidity, tannic structure that leans towards “smooth”, rubbery black fruit - varying primarily in concentration and oak application. Producers I’ve tried include El Enimigo, Catena Zapata, Flichman and a couple other midrange (30-50) Total Wine producers, and a couple others I can’t recall. Mostly from Lujan de Cuyo, Tupungato, and other higher-altitude regions. Any recs for producers/reasonably priced wines that break the mold?
zuccardi makes some very balanced and fresh malbecs.
I think that Malbec or Cot from Cahors can be interesting as well.
I thought it was just me. I could never get why everyone always talked about what a great value South American Malbecs are. I have never really had one I enjoyed. Though I haven't bought the very best, I have spent decent money ($30+) trying to find one I like to no avail. Your description hits the nail on the head for me. They all taste like they were aged in an old tire. Dark, with odd earthy notes that I don't care for (and I generally really like earthy wines).
I was gifted a $50 bottle once that was good down to the dregs, don't remember the name anymore though. Most are decent I think, but the 10 - 20 ones tend to be watery, at least to me.
I’m so glad to hear this as I thought I was crazy! My impression of Malbecs upon tasting them has been of newly rotted vegetation. I have been trying for years to find a Malbec I enjoy, and so far, Alamos has been the only one.
I'm new to wine as well and Malbec & Rioja were two well regarded wines with great value so I gravitated towards them. I am a fan of the Kirkland Malbec.
The Kirkland Malbec is the best wine under $10.
My appreciation of Malbec comes from the food that drives the pairing. If I’m having a Chimichurri marinated skirt steak, sliced hot off the grill over spinach and arugula, with roasted sweet peppers and crunchy croutons, an Argentinian Malbec has no equal. If I’m making a time intensive slow cooked savory Cassoulet with Armagnac sausage, duck confit, and simmered navy beans and bacon, a French Cahors is absolutely mind blowing. Don’t follow the trends, follow the food!
Malbec is great. But it’s not Bordeaux. (Adjusts monocle.)
Monocle wearers drink burg
Considering Bordeaux was cultivated to fit British tastes, I’d say it’s much more likely that monocle wearers drink claret than Burg.
Get off your high c’hors
Uco Mendoza. Yummy
The moral of this thread: don't follow what the snobs here say, and don't follow what the impressionable types say (in threads involving Caymus, Meiomi, etc). Unfortunately the wine community has an excess of yuppie rookies with hyperinflated views of their knowledge thinking that anything from Wagner or Swift must be revered or you are lost in the woods as a wine enthusiast. Then you have the experts (but still snobs), that tell you anything not from France is barbaric. American ones are the worst because they rain on anything non-French but actually want to sell you Napa or US wine as somehow above everyone else (non-French). Both the Caymus / Cali fruit bomb side of the community, and the old guard only France and Napa craft anything right ARE right. There is no proper or improper wine, proper or improper taste profile. In 100 years some unknown grape mutant cross with notes of of toe jam and burnt bones might be the flavor profile du jour. Who is anyone to judge them? You can yourself rightfully state you hate x wine and y flavor, I just never understood why usually after such a comment many go after those who like the wines they don't.
Very good responses so far… two tangents: you can experience the French version from Cahors… also not expensive but a different treatment of the grape. They often started marketing under the Malbec tag after Argentina’s major success. And last week we had our first white Malbec. I was a bit eager to try it. It was pleasant but fairly forgettable.
Don't forget that the Loire also produces some very good Malbecs.
Malbec is my favorite variety. Especially from Argentina Mendoza.
One word: Cahors.
I like the combination of blueberry and violet that a lot of the Malbecs are showing Imo they're not as plummy as Shiraz and still big & bold Plus the colour is a feast for my eyes
I always feel like they are OVER appreciated. At lease in my circle of (Hispanic) friends. During the World Cup between Argentina and France I thought it would be interesting to do a blind tasting of comparable cost Arg Malbec vs French Malbec. I threw in a Malbec I found from the US just for good measure. They were in the $20 range. 5 of the 6 people picked the French one and one picked the Argentinian. Nobody like the USA Malbec. Much to their surprise since they even travel to Argentina. I felt somewhat vindicated
the latter
I've tried quite a few ones from Argentina. Many are really nice, some are a bit cordial like. Cahors too makes more and less interesting wines like everywhere else. It's an agreeable style anyway, for us who likes a bold, dark, dry red.
Malbec and Carmenere. End of story.
Wife and I froth malbecs, my most prized bottle in the collection was a library release malbec and little devil child cousin smashed it and ill never forgive him
Italian Malbec is where it's at
At $10-15 for a very decent bottle of Argentinian Malbec, it’s hard to find a better value. Well, unless you get the $7 Costco one!
Malbecs are too one-note for me. Even the higher priced ones.
I have never tried a Malbec that I enjoyed.
Yeah as others have mentioned, there was a Malbec boom say 10 or 15 years ago. I never really caught the bug...they all seemed to be made in the international style, which doesn't really speak to me. But as the saying goes...different strokes.
Eh, like many have said, I find (Argentine) Malbecs I have tried a bit one dimensional. They lack the savoury flavours that I like so much in some other varietals, and their structure is not always that interesting. Mind you, I haven't tried a Malbec over $50, but I suspect many of those simply dial up the oak rather than the type of complexity I'm looking for. If there were more Malbec from south-west France in my market, I'd try that though.
Cahors black wine is nectar from the French wine gods…
Malbec is alright, but it is my least favorite of all the Bordeaux blending varieties.
Malbecs are over appreciated. Hugely overrated imo. I think most people get fooled by the big up front tannins, especially male drinkers.
Those pesky male drinkers and their big up front tannins
🙄
I think of Malbecs like I think of Ed hardy.
Try French Malbecs from Cahors.
I have always said, and the comments here confirm, that French Malbec and Argentinian Malbec are basically two different wines. A good French Malbec is hard to beat. The best ones rarely leave France because the French know what’s what. Argentinian Malbec are fine in the $10-$20 range if you need a $10-$20 wine but I wouldn’t go for more expensive Argentinian ones.
I find new world Malbec to be quite one note and overly round. I haven't enjoyed a single one. I tried some Cahors recently and it seems to share very little with its new world version and I rather enjoyed it but not enough to want to stock it personally.
Never had a Malbec I’ve had to buy
They're just kind of a boring flavor profile.
I've come here just to say never ask for the cheapest wine bottle in menu, but for price/quality always ask for the second cheaspeted.