Today we celebrate Malbec

World Malbec Day is celebrated on April 17th to commemorate the date when Argentine President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento launched his mission to transform the country's wine industry. On that day in 1853, he tasked Michel Aimé Pouget, a French agronomist and soil expert, with bringing new grape varieties to the country; among his selections was Malbec. Malbec is a tannic, robust grape variety originating from southwestern France, where it is known as "Côt." Pouget continued to experiment with adapting French varieties to Argentina's diverse terroirs; Malbec flourished in Argentina, creating wines far superior to those of its country of origin. During the following years, specifically in the 1990s, Argentina established Malbec as its signature variety. More than 10,000 hectares were planted, and it became the undisputed leader of the country's exports. Wine lovers around the world, especially in the United States, discovered and praised Argentine Malbec. This day dedicated to Malbec was first celebrated on April 17, 2011, and successfully established itself as a historic global event. Today, it is part of the international calendar and is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship, and the Argentine Wine Corporation (COVIAR). Currently, more than 60 cities around the world (coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship) organize events to honor Malbec, as well as Argentine food and lifestyle. Each year, a theme related to Malbec and Argentine culture is created, allowing each celebration to be creative and adapted to the local idiosyncrasies of each country. Today, Malbec is synonymous with Argentina; it is an iconic case of a country successfully forging a direct association with a grape variety, rescuing it from obscurity, and marking a milestone in the global wine landscape. It was thanks to the drive of the Argentine wine industry that Malbec revealed its true potential—its versatility, elegance, and opulence—becoming the focus of the most daring innovations over the last twenty years. Argentina has a Controlled Denomination of Origin (DOC) for Malbec in some regions, which protects the area's name and requires producers to maintain a high level of quality in their wines. Malbec Luján de Cuyo is the first Denomination of Origin (DOC) in the Americas. To further expand its positioning, a wider range of styles has been developed, from fresh rosés and young reds to complex examples designed for long aging. In our country, Mexico, we have excellent examples of Malbec wines, some following the Argentine style and others adapting to the style of national winemaking. Baja California, Querétaro, and Coahuila, among other states, have adopted this variety into their wine production. Some examples from Valle de Guadalupe: - Roganto Malbec, Monte Xanic Malbec Limited Edition - EMEVE Malbec, Dubacano Malbec - F. Rubio Malbec, El Cielo Malbec Gran Reserva - Viñedos De La Reina Malbec, L.A. Cetto Malbec Boutique Line. And, of course, the celebration of World Malbec Day is highly relevant in our country. We invite you to join us in the celebration this coming Monday, April 17th. Cheers! Technical Sheet: Malbec is a purple grape variety used for red wine production. The grapes tend to have a dark color and abundant tannins, and they became known as one of the six grapes permitted in Bordeaux wine blends. Other names: Auxerrois in Cahors, Côt, Pressac. Notable regions: Cahors. Flavor: Malbec wines are warm, smooth, and have sweet tannins. On the palate, it is possible to distinguish flavors of plum jam, cherry preserve, chocolate, dried fruits, vanilla, and balsamic notes. Pairing: The vineyard conditions give the wine great structure, elegant tannins, and aging potential. Due to Malbec's structure and high acidity, it is the ideal companion for red meat dishes, such as Argentine or American-style beef cuts, lamb, duck, homemade burgers, tacos, Argentine empanadas, etc.