Just when you think that you have tasted a decent range of a particular type of wine- comes the humbling revelation! The situation occurred with me recently as I tasted a delightfully delicious Sparkling wine having Malbec as its blend constituent . The occasion was Malbec World Day and on offer was a vast range of Malbec as well as other wines from Argentina. The “charmat” method Tordos Brut Nature (17%Malbec, 83% Tocai) wine in question was so delightful, that it made me ponder over the possibilities achievable with a grape varietal that is stereotypically associated with Argentina.
Malbec World Day 2019, New Delhi
This Malbec World Day, as H.E. Daniel Chuburu the Ambassador of Argentina in India hosted guests at the well appointed al fresco area of The Lalit New Delhi, guests were literally spoilt for choices. The exclusivity of the event was even more, since many of the wines at the gathering were being tasted for the first time, not being available in the Indian market as yet. It also goes to the credit of Ambassador Chuburu that notwithstanding his general abstinence from alcohol, the guests never felt the lack of company even as he nursed a glass of Malbec while highlighting his country’s prominence in the world of wine. Argentina today stands as the fifth largest* producer of wine in the world.
It has been a while since Argentina has been highlighting its most recognized wine each successive year on the occasion of Malbec World Day. The day falls on 17 Apr each year, with its significance lying in a landmark event when on 17 April 1853, then Argentine President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento officially accomplished his mission to transform the Argentine wine industry. To read more on Malbec World Day, visit my earlier blog post on the subject.
“Argentina is not only Malbec”
Lately, another interesting development has taken place wherein Argentina has been asserting the virtues of its other wines besides Malbec. The proclamation- Argentina is not only Malbec has been gaining ground rather emphatically.
A reflection of this approach can also be seen on the Malbec World Day where a range of other Argentine wines are increasingly being showcased on the event sidelines. Varietals like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc,Merlot and Petit Verdot , either as standalone wines or as blend constituents have been highlighting the versatility of Argentine terroir as also the matured skills of the country’s winemakers.
To that end Malbec World Day 2019 in New Delhi aptly represented the wine prowess of Argentina while maintaining the focus on its most prominent grape “citizen”. Here is my top 5 pick from the day:
