Photo by VIVC - Vitis International Variety Catalogue
Description
Malbec, called Côt in France, was the main grape behind the dark 'black wine' of Cahors in south-west France and is one of the six red varieties allowed in Bordeaux. DNA work has shown it is a cross of Prunelard and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes, a forgotten variety that is also Merlot's mother. Its real fame came in Argentina, where it thrives in the sunny, high-altitude valleys of Mendoza and gives wines of intense colour, flavour and structure.
Characteristics
Black wine grape; thin skins; prone to poor fruit set (coulure); vigorous with dense foliage; likes sun and warmth
Growing Tips
Malbec's best-known weakness is poor fruit set, so a cool, wet spell at flowering can leave you with straggly bunches; choose a warm, sheltered site and modern clones where you can. It is thin-skinned and fairly sensitive to cold and disease, so keep the canopy open around the bunches and protect it well against rot in damp seasons. Texas extension growers rate it as a challenge to crop consistently, so expect some variation from year to year.