Malbec
Southwestern-French grape (cot) that became Argentina's star; low acidity, deep inky color, soft mouthfilling texture.
About the grape
Indigenous to southwestern France, malbec — the popular name for the grape cot — is one of the five red grapes of Bordeaux, but plantings there have long declined as it is prone to frost. Half a world away it is a star: brought to Argentina in the mid-nineteenth century, it is now the leading grape for fine Argentine reds, grown in dry, high-altitude Andean vineyards and almost always made as a varietal. Malbec tends to be low in acidity and slightly less tannic than cabernet sauvignon, prized for its soft, mouthfilling texture, deep inky color, and plummy, mocha, earthy flavors; it is also the historic grape of Cahors.
