Celebrate World Malbec Day
To celebrate World Malbec Day this year (17 April) we are going to take a deep dive into this delicious varietal.
Be sure to sit down with a glass of the Evans & Tate Single Vineyard Malbec, or the Deep Woods Estate Single Vineyard Cabernet Malbec and get reading!
The History of Malbec
During the Middle Ages French wine exports were controlled by the prestigious Bordeaux region and this meant that Malbec wine could only be purchased once the Bordeaux vintage had sold out.
Due to this tumultuous history, Malbec remained a relatively obscure varietal until it was planted in Argentina in the 1880s and became one of the most well-known wines to be produced in South America. Today, Malbec remains one of Argentina’s most famous wines and the varietal is now planted in over seven countries around the world, including Australia.
Fun Fact: Did you know that the very first record of the Malbec varietal is from over 2000 years ago in the South of France? During the Middle Ages, French Malbec became extremely popular with English royalty and was even rumoured to be the drink of choice at royal weddings!
The Malbec Grape
Malbec loves the sun. Sunshine helps ripen Malbec’s thick skins which have high levels of colour pigment (called anthocyanins). These pigments contribute to the deep, dark colour seen in Malbec wines!
High quality Malbec is almost always grown in regions with a large diurnal temperature change (i.e., sunny days and cool nights) – like Margaret River! This temperature change means that the fruit retains higher acid levels, producing fresher and longer lasting wines. Higher elevation sites can also promote a wide diurnal temperature shift, and this is one of the reasons Argentina produces such incredible, age-worthy Malbec wines.
Fun fact: Malbec wines will often have a bright magenta rim, which can be helpful to determine this varietal when doing a blind tasting!
What does Malbec taste like?
Think bold fruits like red plum, blackberry, dark cherry and raspberry. These fruit characters are often complemented by spices such as vanilla, tobacco and cocoa. High quality expressions are often full bodied with high acidity.
Single Varietal Wines vs Blending Components
Did you know that Malbec has commonly been used as a blending tool to impart smooth, supple tannins and fruit richness to a final wine? Recently there has also been a shift towards producing single varietal Malbec wines and this is particularly the case in Margaret River.
Evans & Tate Senior Winemaker Matt Byrne and Deep Woods Estate Chief Winemaker Julian Langworthy have determined some of the best sites for Malbec to flourish and are producing some of the most highly awarded Malbec wines in the region.
Discover what a single varietal Malbec wine tastes like, as well as how Malbec can have a huge influence as a blending component with our two Margaret River wines below.
Evans & Tate 2020 Single Vineyard Malbec
This wine is an exquisite expression of single varietal and single-site Malbec from the Carter Road Vineyard in Margaret River. This wine shows true expression of terroir, with rich, intense fruit, ripe tannins and a structured and vibrant acidity allowing for lovely perfume and complexity.
Senior Winemaker Matt Byrne believes that the balanced nature of Malbec wines made from the best Margaret River sites are a unique regional hallmark and his winemaking ethos reflects this – minimalistic and hands-off, showcasing fruit purity and vineyard expression. Matt made the decision to mature this wine in larger French oak puncheons, which he says is to "ensure perfume and freshness is retained whilst achieving a silky and refined palate". He describes the resulting wine as “a world-class Malbec wine rarely seen as a straight varietal in Australia, let alone Margaret River".
Relax and unwind with a glass of this wine in front of the fire on these cooler Autumn nights, paired with a warming bowl of braised lamb ragu.
2x Trophies
4x Gold Medals
"2020 was a sensational vintage in Margaret River (warm, ripe and early) and has produced a tranche of effortless-feeling wines, this being one of them. Medium weight, spicy and silky, it has just enough savoury spice to balance the red and purple fruit, bringing the balance and line into focus. Lovely."
- 93 Points, Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion 2023
Deep Woods Estate 2020 Single Vineyard Cabernet Malbec
This highly awarded single vineyard Margaret River wine is 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Malbec – a fantastic representation of just how much influence Malbec can impart on a final wine, even in small amounts.
Deep Woods Estate Senior Winemaker Andrew Bretherton is a huge Malbec fan himself and said:
"With World Malbec Day approaching and with an abundance of delicious Malbec fruit fresh into the winery, we [the winery team] are celebrating one of the strong suits of Margaret River.
"Malbec is grown widely around the world and has very different personalities depending on where it is grown. Malbec for our Single Vineyard wines are deep in colour, brimming with blue fruits and violets, have supple, juicy tannins and a plushness to the palate. They are joyous wines which complement perfectly the nobility of Margaret River Cabernet."
Andrew recommends taking a leaf out of the Argentinian’s book and going with BBQ meats for the ultimate food and wine pairing.
1x Trophy
5x Gold Medals
"This is a sensational wine, impossibly intense and saturated with flavour, and the volume is boosted in 2020. Decant it, because the frisky malbec needs the oxygen to calm it down. It'll live an age, though."
- 96 Points, Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion 2023
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