Malbec Grape variety guide: history, French regions, taste & food pairing
Malbec, known in France as Côt or Auxerrois, is the deep, dark red grape of Cahors in southwest France, famous for the "black wine" that once rivaled Bordeaux, and today Argentina's flagship variety.
Learn more about Malbec
History & origins
Malbec originated in the Quercy region around Cahors; DNA shows it is an offspring of Prunelard and Magdeleine Noire des Charentes, which also makes it a half-sibling of Merlot. In the Middle Ages, Cahors' inky wines were shipped to England and beyond. Malbec was once widely planted in Bordeaux, but the severe frost of 1956 led many growers to replace it. Meanwhile it flourished in Argentina's Mendoza.
French regions & appellations
Cahors AOC (minimum 70% Malbec), Bordeaux and Côtes de Bordeaux blends, Bergerac, Buzet, Fronton, and Touraine in the Loire (as Côt).
Taste profile
Full-bodied and deeply colored, with blackberry, black plum, black cherry, violet, licorice, cocoa and tobacco; Cahors is firm and earthy, Argentine styles plush and ripe.
Food pairing
Grilled steak, duck confit, cassoulet, lamb, truffled dishes, barbecued meats, empanadas, Rocamadour and aged cheeses.
Where Malbec grows in France
Wine regions: Bordeaux, Loire, Sud-Ouest
Appellations: Bordeaux, Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux, Cahors, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux , Côtes de Bourg, Fronsac, Graves, Haut-Médoc, IGP Atlantique, Lalande-de-Pomerol, Médoc, Saint-Julien, Touraine Chenonceaux, Touraine