I asked the rather silly question of why I'd never heard of a famous French Malbec.
"Of course you have! Malbec grapes are French!" Was the response as a bottle of Astrolabe Malbec 2009 was handed to me.
I would never normally condone drinking on a Tuesday afternoon, let alone during January, the world-renowned month of restraint, but you see why I had to open it immediately and try it. I did get a steak to accompany it though. Felt better.
Auxerrois or Côt Noir in Cahors, called Malbec in Bordeaux, and Pressac in other places, the grape became less popular in Bordeaux after 1956 when frost killed off 75% of the crop. Despite Cahors being hit by the same frost, which devastated the vineyards, Malbec was replanted and continued to be popular in that area where it was mixed with Merlot and Tannat to make dark, full-bodied wines, and more recently has been made into 100% Malbec varietal wines.
A very young wine with an elegant finesse of robust, Malbec tannins, this wine was such a deep and jammy delight.
And as if I needed further incentive to devour this wine, it won the 2011 excellence award in the Vinovalies awards for Vinalies Nationales. Perfect!
