Malbec

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Côt
Synonyms Malbec - for more see the Synonyms section
Côt
Art Grape vine ( Vitis vinifera subsp. Vinifera )
Berry color blue-black
use
origin France
VIVC no. 2889
ancestry

Cross between
Magdeleine Noire des Charentes × Prunelard

List of grape varieties

The Malbec is an old French red wine variety . Under the historical name of Côt , it was previously grown in 30 departments , which is why almost 400 synonyms were in use for it. Today the variety is called Malbec in the main growing countries Argentina , Chile and South Africa , as well as Malbec argenté (in the Cahors area ), Côt (Haut-Pays and Loire), Malbeck or Pressac ( Bordeaux ). The almost purple-black Malbec wines are valued for their fruity flavor, which often has typical plum and tobacco notes. Hints of blueberries, bay leaves, juniper, spices, cherries and dark chocolate are also possible. Due to its triumphant advance in South America and worldwide success, the name Malbec established itself.

ancestry

In 2009, the Malbec's direct relatives were identified. The almost extinct grape variety Magdeleine Noire des Charentes and the Prunelart variety are the parents of Malbec.

A study published in 2007 shows that the grape variety groups Baroque , Manseng Noir and Tannat are genetically very closely related. There is also a striking similarity between this group and the Malbec, and the Claverie variety is also genetically closely related to this group.

origin

The ampelographer Pierre Galet suspects the origin of the variety in the area of ​​the former French province of Quercy and consequently describes the grape variety as Côt. In the 16th century, Francis I imported the variety from the Cahors and had it grown in Thomery , on the slopes of the Seine and in the Champagne wine-growing region. This thesis is supported by descriptions by Salomon in 1921 of having found 300-year-old vines of Côt and Cabernet Sauvignon.

In the Bordeaux wine-growing region, the grape variety often carries synonyms of people who have made a contribution to local distribution. The medic de Lutkens planted a vineyard with the Côt in the village of Camblanes in the 18th century. The variety Lutkens or Luckens was named locally. Later, a Hungarian plant breeder named Monsieur Malbeck was the first to plant it separately on large plots in Sainte-Eulalie , spread the variety widely and thus coined the name in Bordelais and later internationally. In the Saint-Émilion area , the grape variety is known as Pressac.

distribution

The Malbec has more than 55,000 hectares of cultivation area worldwide.

Southern Hemisphere

Malbec vineyards in Argentina

The largest growing area in the world is now in Argentina, especially in Mendoza , where the grape variety meets ideal conditions. It is also grown in Chile, South Africa and Australia . Their susceptibility to trickling , downy mildew and rot is only evident there in rare, damp, cool weather periods. In the dry warmth of Mendoza, the thick berry peels can also mature better, which prevents excessive tannin content.

Argentina

The Malbec officially entered the country in 1853. The warm, dry Andean climate with plenty of sun and little rainfall ensures that the berries ripen completely and develop their full aromatic potential. With 44,387 hectares (as of 2019), Malbec accounts for 38.6% of the red varieties and 22.39% of the total acreage in the country, making it the most widespread variety and, since 2011, the one that has increased its acreage the most. From 16,347 hectares in 2000, the area under cultivation increased by 171%, which corresponds to 28,040 hectares.

Production is very high in South America. In Argentina (as of 2018: 14.5 million hl) wine production increased by 23% compared to the previous year. Of the more than 223 million liters exported in 2017, just over 125 million were of the Malbec variety. Argentina is the undisputed market leader in the world for the production of this red wine variety. Chile has about 6,000 hectares; France, 5,300 ha; South Africa has about 400 hectares; New Zealand 80 hectares and California approx. 45 hectares.

A look at history: At that time (late 19th century) Argentina was largely isolated politically and economically. They sought to promote their own wine industry and founded on April 17, 1853 the wine school Quinta Normal Agronómica de Mendoza based on the French model. Domingo Faustino Sarmiento , later President of Argentina , played a decisive role in this. He commissioned the French Michel Pouget to introduce the Malbec grape variety in Argentina and thus laid the foundation for the enormous rise of this grape variety. The founding day of the viticulture school in Mendoza is still celebrated today on April 17th. This day is also the Malbec World Day

France

Vineyard of the Château du Cèdre near Cahors

The main French growing area of ​​Malbec is today again its home region of Cahors, where the famous "Vin noir" was made from it in the past. The grape variety is increasingly disappearing in its country of origin, France. Today it has to put at least 70% in the cuvées there . The extremely colorful pure version is often a bit angular and sparse and only develops delicacy after a long ripening period. That is why Merlot or, less often, Tannat is added as a blending partner. Traditionally developed Cahors can withstand a maturation period of ten years in the cellar. In addition to the Cahors, the grape variety is also used in the appellations Bergerac , Buzet , Côtes de Duras , Côtes-du-Frontonnais , Côtes du Marmandais , Montravel and Pécharmant, as well as in the Côtes du Brulhois , a wine with the status of a Vin Delimité de Qualité Supérieur .

Because the Malbec is not only susceptible to a variety of diseases, but also above all to frost, it fell out on a large scale in the middle of the 20th century, especially in the Bordelais due to the severe frost breaks at the time. In the cuvées of Bordeaux, he was mainly responsible for the color and the tannin content . In the former main distribution area of ​​Bordeaux, it was ousted by Merlot and is now only cultivated there by a few traditional companies for the mixed wines. Today there are still noteworthy plantings in the designations of origin Côtes de Bourg , Blaye and in the area of ​​the Entre deux mers .

In the Languedoc wine-growing region , Malbec is permitted in the Cabardès and Malepère appellations . A small (and still declining) amount is also grown on the Loire and blended with Gamay and Cabernet Franc .

So far, 16 clones have been approved in France. They have the numbers 42, 43, 46, 180, 243, 279, 353, 419, 592 to 598 and 1061. Only 8 of these clones are used commercially in large quantities.

Other growing areas

In Spain , too , the Malbec is almost only cultivated as a small stock in the Ribera del Duero wine-growing region , where it is part of the classic recipe for mixing with the most valuable Spanish red wine, Vega Sicilia .

In Italy, Malbec is grown on the Aldobrandesca winery in southern Maremma (Tuscany) for a 100% wine (Vie Cave). Small stocks are also known in Switzerland . (7.95 ha, as of 2018, source: Office fédéral de l'agriculture OFAG)

clone Yield Must weight Remarks
42 Medium to high medium Irregular harvests, good quality
594 Medium to high medium Very good quality, high phenol content
595 Medium to high High Irregular harvests, good quality
596 Medium to high medium
598 Medium to high Medium to high Good quality if there are sufficient harvest restrictions

United States

Before the alcohol prohibition , the Malbec was an important grape variety in California . The wines of the grape variety were mostly sold anonymously in blended barrels. After the alcohol ban was lifted, the planted vineyards could only slowly recover. It was only through the growing popularity of California's Bordeaux blends , known as Meritage , that the Malbec was also offered a suitable marketing platform. Between 1995 and 2003, the area under vines increased from 1000 acres (400 ha) to over 7000 acres (2830 ha). In the meantime, however, the area under vines has fallen back to 3822 acres (1540 ha, as of 2017). The most important growing areas in California are the Napa Valley , Alexander Valley , Paso Robles and Sonoma Valley .

Ampelographic varietal characteristics

The leaf of the Côt is only slightly three-lobed and slightly indented
  • The shoot tip is open. It is hairy whitish-woolly, with a slight carmine-red tinge.
  • The young leaves are initially thickly hairy and then only lightly hairy. The young leaves are spotted bronze (anthocyanin spots).
  • The medium-sized leaves are rounded and wider than long, usually completely or only slightly three-lobed. The stem bay is open in a U or U shape. The leaf margin is serrated to a point. The teeth small. The leaf surface is only slightly blistered, rough and soft to the touch.
  • The medium-sized grape is usually shouldered and loose berries. The round, barely juicy berries are small and blue-black in color.

properties

The Malbec sprouts early and is therefore sensitive to late frosts in spring. The winter frost hardiness is also low.

It is a rather difficult grape variety in terms of viticulture. It is moderately susceptible to powdery mildew , but susceptible to downy mildew , gray mold rot and eutypiosis .

Synonyms

176: Agreste, Ausseres, Auxerrais, Auxerrois, Auxerrois de Laquenexy, Auxerrois Des Moines de Picpus, Auxerrois du Mans, Balouzat, Beran, Beraou, Berau, Besparo, Blanc de Kienzheim, Blanc de Kienzkeim, Bordelais Noir, Bouchales, B Bouyssales, Bouyssalet, Cagors, Cahors, Calarin, Calavu, Caours, Cauly, Chalosse Petite Noire, Chors, Claverie Noire, Co, Coly, Coq Rouge, Cor, Cors, Cos, Costa Rosa, Costa Rossa, Costo Roujo, Côt a Queue Rouge, Côt a Queue Verte, Côt de Bordeaux, Côt de Pays, Côt de Touraine, Côt Malbec, Côt Rouge, Cote Rouge, Cotes Rouges, Cots, Couisse, Cruchinet, Doux Noir, Doux Same, Estrangey, Etaulier, Etranger, Fin Auxerrois, Franc Moreau, Gourdaux, Gourdoux, Grappe Rouge, Grelot de Tour, Grelot de Tours, Grifforin, Gros Noir, Gros Pied Rouge, Grosse Merille, Guillan, Hourcat, Jacobain, Jacobin, Jacobin Blauer, Kot, Le Côt, Lou Salbaire , Luckens, Lutkens, Magret, Malbec, Malbech, Malbeck, Malbek, Malbett a Queue Rouge, Mancin, Margrot, Mauzac, Medoc, M onrame, Mourame, Mouranne, Moustere, Mouzat, Moza, Navarie, Negre de Prechac, Negre Doux, Negre Prechac, Negrera, Noir de Chartres, Noir de Pressac, Noir Doux, Nuar de Presac, Nyar de Presak, Oeil de Perdrix, Parde , Peperdy, Perigord, Pied de Perdrix, Pied Doux, Pied Noir, Pied Rouge, Pied Rouget, Piperdy, Plant de Meraou, Plant du Lot, Plant du Roi, Plant Houdee, Prechat, Pressac, Prunelat, Prunieral, Quercy, Queue Rouge , Quille de Coq, Quillot, Romieu, Soumansigne, Teinturier, Teinturin, Terranis, Tinturin, Tinturin de La Libarde, Vesparo, Vesparol .

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ MALBEC weingueter-in.de, accessed on April 8, 2020
  2. ↑ Parentage of Merlot and related winegrape cultivars of southwestern France onlinelibrary.wiley.com, accessed April 8, 2020 (en)
  3. ↑ Bulletin de l'OIV REVUE INTERNATIONALE pandor.u-bourgogne.fr, accessed on April 8, 2020 (fr)
  4. ↑ MALBEC - BLACK-VIOLET WÜRZE moevenpick-wein.de, accessed on April 9, 2020
  5. ↑ 79 millones de litros de malbec argentino se vendieron en el mundo en 2019 enolife.com.ar, from April 8, 2020 (es)
  6. ^ Organización Internacional de la Viña y el Vino - Los Datos de la Coyuntura Vitivinícola Mundial , oiv.int, of October 26, 2018 (es)
  7. ↑ El boom del vino Malbec argentino Sommelier Giovanni Bisso in gestion.pe, from March 8, 2028 (es)
  8. ↑ El boom del vino Malbec argentino gestion.pe (by Sommelier Giovanni Bisso), from March 8, 2018 (Spanish)
  9. ↑ The Malbec is celebrated nzz.ch, April 18, 2013
  10. ↑ Una quinta muy normal losandes.com.ar, accessed on March 21, 2020 (Spanish)
  11. ↑ Michel Aimé Pouget & the arrival of Malbec in South America southamericawineguide.com, from January 26, 2019 (en)
  12. ↑ Malbec - Argentinians with a high cult factor vinovossum.de, accessed on March 21, 2020
  13. ^ Maison des vins de Cahors et chambre d'agriculture du Lot
  14. ^ The wine year 2018 (PDF) , published by the Federal Office for Agriculture
  15. ↑ California Grape Acreage Report, 2018 Summary Published April 2019 by the California Department of Food and Agriculture
  16. ^ Appellation America Malbec Wine Grape
  17. ↑ Malbec in the database Vitis International Variety Catalog of the Institute for Vine Breeding Geilweilerhof (English) June 2020