History of Malbec and Its Argentine Legacy
The history of Malbec began even before it even had that name, when it survived the plague of phylloxera that hit Europe in the 19th century. Later, a Hungarian plant breeder named Monsieur Malbeck was the first to plant it separately in large plots and over time he also spread it through France starting with Cahors and then Bordeaux.
Over the centuries, this varietal found its place in the world: Argentina. Being the variety with more hectares planted in the country and that which represents us, it isn’t strange that it deserves its very own day. Therefore, since 2011 every 17th of April the Malbec World Day is celebrated.
Why this date?
According to historical data, Malbec arrived in Argentina in 1853 thanks to a French agronomist named Michel Aimé Pouget. At the request of the current president, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, Pouget directed a training space for agronomists, winemakers and viticulturists called Quinta Agronómica de Mendoza. Its formal presentation before the Provincial Legislature was on April 17, 1853.
What does Malbec mean to our winemaking team?
Mariano Di Paola – Director of Oenology
“Thinking about what Malbec means to us makes me think of celebration, happiness and pride that it is our representative variety throughout the world. The happiness of knowing that when we work with it every day, we discover new paths that open up to surprise us further. I like what Malbec gives us, what it can give us and what we can potentially discover in the future.”
Gonzalo Fernandez Gregorat – 1st winemaker
“Working with Malbec personally means a constant challenge: since there is such a large supply and quantity of wines in the market, we are forced to search constantly to innovate and improve the quality every year”
Mariano Di Paola (hijo) – expert in sparkling wines
“We made a 100% Malbec sparkling wine, which at the beginning was a huge challenge since we got expert advice from Champagne (France) who took a really long time to understand this varietal with unique characteristics that only develops in our country. “
Vivien Morvan – French winemaker expert in rosé
“With each rosé we made from this varietal we discovered a distinctive product with a unique profile above the others, especially those coming from other parts of the world since we have an advantage that others don’t: Malbec. Having this exclusive vine from Argentina makes the final product irreplaceable. “
Ana Laura Fernandez – expert in bio reactor of yeasts
“The first experiences in which we worked with the yeast bio reactor were to inoculate Malbec from our Gualtallary farm (Tupungato). We choose this varietal because of its nobility and the confidence it gives us to work with it. “
Charly Enfarrell – expert in barrels
“The proper use of oak, in right measure, with balanced potential, is the ideal tool to enhance any Malbec further. Our experiences show that we can offer an immense range of options so as to continue diversifying the styles of each finished wine. “
