Although it was once known only as being one of the six varietals used in the famed French Bordeaux blends, Malbec has become somewhat of a superstar for the Argentine wine industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a thick-skinned grape that needs a bit of extra heat and sun to do its best work, so the Argentinian climate is ideally suited. And if you like the style, it\u2019s hard to go past the Riserva examples that are often imported from South America, but you\u2019ll pay a pretty penny. The quality of their Malbec is no longer a secret and demand from North America is driving up prices. Such is the popularity of their wines that some of the best Malbec wines from Argentina\u2019s premier vineyards are now commanding prices of well over $100 a bottle!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s often been said that we live in the \u201clucky country\u201d, and if you\u2019re a lover of Malbec, you\u2019ll be counting your blessings that you call Australia home. While we get a fair bit more rain than most of Argentina, we do have vinicultural regions which enjoy the hot sunny climate that malbec thrives in and our malbec can be pretty good. But best of all, our local wares generally hit the shelves at prices significantly lower than the bottles which hail from France, Chile or Argentina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the first malbec vines are thought to have landed in New South Wales\u2019 Hunter Valley in the 1840\u2019s, savvy winemakers have trialed it in other regions with varying degrees of success. And if you ask me, the Australian home of malbec is destined to be Langhorne Creek in South Australia <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Located on the Fleurieu Peninsula about 70 kms from Adelaide, the Langhorne Creek region enjoys plenty of sun, but thanks to the cooling maritime breezes coming off Lake Alexandrina, the summer heat is moderated and the winter frosts kept at bay. Cabernet has always done really well in the locale but in more recent times, the local winemakers have enjoyed enormous success with malbec as well. And best of all, their malbec aren\u2019t priced to the rafters\u2026.yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It may not pack the punch of some of the Argentinian examples of the grape, but the Zonte\u2019s Footstep<\/a> Violet Beauregard 2016<\/a> is punching well above its proverbial weight. At only around $20 a bottle, it\u2019s a bargain! Pour it out and you\u2019ll remark at the vibrant violet hue it displays around the edges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take a sip and the violet nose turns to mulberries and raspberries before the aptly named Violet Beauregard drowns your taste buds in a deluge of blueberries through the mid-palate. The fruit is ripe and stout, though constrained through the finish by fine-grained tannins. It\u2019s probably only of medium weight, but at a modest 14% alcohol, doesn\u2019t leave a burning sensation in its wake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Personally, I\u2019d love to blend this with a hint of cabernet franc, but it\u2019s pretty good as it is \u2013 especially at the price point! Pair it with roast lamb or even souvlaki, and I suspect that you might never drink cabernet again!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Superstar Argentine a warming winter wine Although it was once known only as being one of the six varietals used in the famed French Bordeaux blends, Malbec has become somewhat of a superstar for the Argentine wine industry. It\u2019s a thick-skinned grape that needs a bit of extra heat and sun to do its best…
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