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Malbec was originally one of the minor blending varieties of Bordeaux, where it has now almost completely disappeared. Its new home is now Argentina, where it has become, after more than 100 years of nurturing, one of the biggest darlings in the international red wine arena. Malbec grapes are reasonably small, very dark, and juicy. Controlling the fruiting of the vines is important to ensure good concentration of flavors. Fortunately, the Argentine wine industry's almost 100% reliance on irrigation (it virtually never rains) gives growers the tools they need to ensure quality grapes and thus quality wines. Malbec, however, is fairly sensitive to its climate. In cooler conditions (in Mendoza, this normally means at higher altitude) it is a thick-skinned grape which develops high acid and high tannin levels giving rise to more robust wines. At lower altitudes the grapes have thinner skins, more juice, and produce wines that are lighter-bodied and more suited to drinking young. The best, as is our selection, is a combination of both. Flavors most commonly associated with Malbec include plums, cherries, currants and raspberries. Fruit, as well as color, may be perceived as black or red depending on its origin and wine-making style. Argentine Malbec usually has a generous oak component along with liberal vanilla and spice, as well as the occasional tobacco notes. Monte Lindo is a French company with Argentine roots. It blends the best of both worlds by taking the best French grapes and working with them on the pristine hills of the Andes Mountain range. These grapes are grown on their own rootstock as opposed to using rootstock from America. This practice began over 100 years ago when it was discovered that a destructive pest called phylloxera lived benignly in American rootstock, but ate the French rootstock into obliteration. The only way to cure this problem was to plant American rootstock and then graft the French vines to them. Though there is not much evidence to suggest that the grapes grown in this manner were inferior to those grown on their own rootstock, the argument has been around for as long as there's been phylloxera. As long as none of those bugs make it to Argentina, they're safe. July 2010 Classic Series Newsletter (.pdf)
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