Malbec World Day - Wine Tasting Event

Last April 25, 2014 was the Malbe World Day. It is an international celebration of the dedicated to Argentina's most emblematic grape. This is the fourth year that this is happenings and this year, they celebrated it with the theme "Malbec making Noise" Goal is highlighting the rhythmic quality of the Argentinian Malbec wine.

Here in the Manila, they celebrated it with a wine tasting event held at the Top of the City by Chef Jessie in Makati. Lots of wine suppliers and distributors were there featuring the wine of the night, Malbec. They had some other wines selections there.

The night was overflowing with Malbec wines and tasting a lot of these would somehow confuse you if you're not a wine drinker. But the ones manning each table was really knowledgeable in wines and know a thing or two about the difference and the mixes of these wine. Sometimes I wish I knew a lot about wines, its history, where it came from and if it's good or not.

So what is Malbec? Well, from what I gathered, the Malbec grape is originally from its native French soil, south of France. It was then transplanted to the dry and mountainous landscapes of western Argentina around 160 years ago. After it has come of age and years of hard work and determination with trial and errors in experimentation in techniques in terms of climate. Now, you can find different kinds of Malbec
makers all over Argentina with its own distinct personality and charm.

Here's a simple Malbec wine guide.

The rhythm of Malbec wine like its taste is untamed, intense and vigorous. Its core traits is that it's juicy and fruity with a medium to full body. That's as far as what I know really in wines. I don't want to pretend that I know a lot but I would like to learn it.

Also sharing below are 4 interesting facts.

1. Argentina ‘Saved’ Malbec - Today, Argentina leads with over 75% of all the acres of Malbec in the world. In a way, Argentina reinvigorated Malbec as one of the top 18 noble grapes. Now it grows in seven countries and continues to grow in popularity.

2. Malbec’s Blind Tasting Tell. Look for a magenta-tinged rim. Malbec wine is a deep purple-red that is nearly opaque, similar to Syrah and Mourvedre. However, Malbec wines will often have a bright magenta rim. A tell! Host a blind tasting party of your own.

3. Malbec Loves High Elevation - In lower elevations, Malbec grapes struggle to produce the acidity they need to create great tasting and long lasting wine. High elevation areas with a wide diurnal temperature shift (ie hot days, cold nights) make the grapes produce more acidity. Find out why acidity is so important.

4. Not As Much Oak as You Might Think - Because of Malbec’s bold flavors and richness, many wine tasters believe that industrious use of oak is employed. Not true! In the $9-12 range you’ll find most Argentine Malbec to have only about 6 months of oak aging. 10-12 months of oaking Malbec will give it that classic ‘blueberry’ smell. Some Malbec wines are aged for a long time (18-20 months), but you have to pay to play. Expect to spend around $24+ for Reserva Argentine Malbec and more for US Malbec.

I think what makes the Malbec wine good also is that it is great in food pairing. Unlike Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec doesn’t have a super long finish. Making Malbec great with leaner red meats. The wine does extremely well with funky flavors like blue cheese and rustic flavors like mushrooms and cumin spice.