In the world of wine,when you hear Argentina, you immediately think Malbec. So much so, that youmight assume Malbec is native to Argentina.
Rather, Malbec is nativeto the lesser-famed wine region of southwest France, where it is called Côtor Auxerrois. French botanist Michel Aimé Pouget is widely credited withbringing Malbec to Argentina in 1853, and the story behind this deservesmentioning.
Pouget was invited toChile in the mid-1800s to develop its wine industry, and exiled Argentinianpolitical activist and thinker Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (who would returnfrom exile to become the president of Argentina a decade later) convinced hisArgentinian compatriots to bring Pouget to Argentina.
It was in the now-world renownedMendoza region, in the shadow of the great Andes Mountains, that Pouget openedthe Quinta Normal de Mendoza, aresearch center and wine school, where French varietals would be introduced tothe area.
At the time, Malbec hadlost much popularity in its native France following the phylloxera outbreak, or“Great French Wine Blight,” of the mid-19th century that destroyed much ofFrance’s vineyards. The Malbec grape is particularly susceptible to disease,and when France replanted, they gave up on planting a major amount of Malbecfor the most part.
Argentina, on the otherhand is full of sunshine and relatively pest-free. Argentinian terroir (I’vebeen avoiding using the word terroiras I conscientiously avoid sounding like a bigger jerk than I am, but here weare), with its alluvial clay and sand soil, and a very high altitude, isperfect for Malbec to flourish.
Thus, the perfect spotfor our 2017 Flechas De Los Andes Gran Reserva Malbec ($25, availablelocally and online). Bodegas Flechas De Los Andes was a partnership betweenBaron Benjamin de Rothschild, the 50-something French banker/businessman, andLaurent Dassault, French businessman and wine icon.
As with many winelabels, there is often a significance to the graphics. In this case, you’llfind the Rothschild crest of five arrows, signifying the five Rothschildbrothers, which then explains the names Flechas De Los Andes, or “Arrows ofAndes.” The grapes are handpicked and the wine is traditionally made usingmodern equipment, and aged in new French oak.
The result is a beautifulGran Reserva Malbec, suitable for pretty much any meal, from simple to fancy.
This being the Kosher Decanter, I wonder if Israel,with its arid climate, will increase its mostly-limited production of Malbec. Ican’t say I’ve yet loved an Israeli Malbec, but as we’ve discussed, Israeliwine innovators are continuing to plant and produce varietals more appropriateto Israel, rather than the more usual fodder of Cab and Merlot, often createdfor the gun-shy wine-buyer who is afraid to try anything other than what theyalready know.
Don’t be this winebuyer!
This all said, let’stalk about our wine, the 2017 Flechas De Los Andes Malbec. The wine is darkpurple, with Malbec’s trademark magenta rim. There is a nose of dark fruit,chocolate and spice, and light oak. The body is medium with very nice acid,rich tannins, and a mouth of blackberry, plum, more chocolate, and spices.
This wine should agenicely in your cellar, so don’t be shy in picking up a case and seeing how itages over the next decade. It’ll likely age better than you. The ‘17 Flechas DeLos Andes Malbec will pair swimmingly with your medium rare lamb burger thisLabor Day.
And hey, if you only find the 2015 or 2016 vintage on the shelves, fear not, they are equally worthy of your hard-earned dollars.
Dr. Kenneth Friedman is a Baltimore-born kosher wine aficionado/connoisseur. He is known for his unsolicited wine advice and runs many local kosher wine tastings.
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