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FINE WINE - The Wine Society

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16<br />

MAGNIFICENT<br />

MALBEC<br />

Once planted in Bordeaux, malbec made its name as<br />

the principal constituent of Cahors. Due to its sensitivity<br />

to poor set, frost, downy mildew and rot, it was better<br />

suited to the conditions of inland Cahors than those of<br />

coastal Bordeaux. It was the foundation of the ‘black<br />

wine of Cahors’, when vines in Bordeaux were grown<br />

on the palus and produced pale and pink wines called<br />

clairet (from which we get the English word ‘claret’).<br />

Malbec can be powerful, with firm and sometimes<br />

quite rustic tannins in France, but with great character<br />

too, and is often blended with merlot to soften it.<br />

Nowadays Argentina grows three times as much<br />

malbec as France, so there is a much bigger gene pool<br />

from which very interesting selections have been made,<br />

notably by Catena, who narrowed down about 200<br />

original selections to about eight. <strong>The</strong>se excellent plant<br />

selections and the warmer climate generally produce<br />

softer, richer and more aromatic wines than in France.<br />

Its characteristic violet aromas can resist temperatures<br />

up to 33°C, and the existence of many old vineyards<br />

(the Mendel Unus is made from a malbec vineyard<br />

planted in 1928) explain the success of malbec in<br />

Argentina. In Mendoza, Alta Mira is producing lovely<br />

floral styles of malbec, with more structure and grip<br />

coming from Lunlunta, Agrelo and Perdriel.<br />

J-AR2441 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Society</strong>’s Exhibition Mendoza Malbec, 2008 £9.95 bottle £119 dozen<br />

Lovely blend of two very fine high-altitude vineyards owned by Catena, one at Agrelo<br />

for structure and one at Alta Mira for its violet perfume. This has a scented nose of<br />

brambles, with a hint of vanillin from the oak and a ripe and concentrated palate.<br />

Aged for 16 months in French oak. Now to 2016. 14%<br />

J-AU13531 Bleasdale Second Innings Malbec, 2009, Langhorne Creek £9.95 bottle £119 dozen<br />

Malbec grows well in the warm Langhorne Creek vineyards of South Australia.<br />

Bleasdale have some superb parcels. This lush, ripe-tasting red oozes brambly fruit.<br />

Now to 2014. 14%<br />

J-AU12131 Bleasdale Tempranillo-Malbec, 2008, McLaren Vale/Langhorne Creek £11.50 bottle £138 dozen<br />

This innovative Australian blend has created a delicious red bursting with the flavours<br />

of dark cherries and fresh spices. Now to 2012. 13.5%<br />

J-AR2221 Mendel Unus, 2007 £20 bottle £240 dozen<br />

A thrilling Argentine blend of 70% malbec and 30% cabernet sauvignon from mature<br />

vineyards aged 16 months in barriques. Decant half an hour before serving with roast<br />

beef. Now to 2019. 14%<br />

J-FC18391 Cahors Clos Triguedina, Probus, 2006 £22 bottle £264 dozen<br />

Named after the Emperor who authorised the return of wine making to Cahors, this is<br />

from an historic estate and is intended for long-term keeping. Made from 100% old<br />

malbec and from the best sites of the estate, this is deeply coloured, rich and well<br />

structured. Now to 2020. 13%<br />

J-FC18381 Cahors Clos Triguedina, <strong>The</strong> New Black <strong>Wine</strong>, 2006 £34 bottle £408 dozen<br />

<strong>The</strong> black wine of Cahors was a favourite in this country during the Middle Ages.<br />

Jean-Luc Baldès has tried to recreate the style which was achieved by heating part of<br />

the must to extract more colour without any hard tannins. This is intense, very dark and<br />

full in flavour with sweet black cherries coming to mind. Now to 2025. 13.5%<br />

To order thewinesociety.com/finewine ☎ 01438 740222

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