Happy Malbec World Day!

Although its origins are rooted in the Sud-Ouest (South West) wine growing region of France, Malbec now is best known as an Argentinian varietal. Argentina has around 75% of all acres of Malbec, but the grape grows in 7 countries around the world.

We asked three of our Malbec producers- two in Argentina (MAAL Wines and TintoNegro) and one in Cahors (Triguedina)- what makes Malbec such a special varietal. 

From its versatility with food, depth and range of flavor, and rich beautiful color, it's no wonder Malbec is one of the most popular red wines. Pick up a bottle and see for yourself why Malbec is special. 

Open that Bottle!

Open That Bottle Night is February 24th! 

While maybe not as well-known of a holiday as "National Margarita Day" (which was also this week, February 22. If you didn't celebrate, belated celebrations are always acceptable!), Open That Bottle Night will soon become one of your favorite nights of the year. 

Dorothy J. Gaiter, author of The Wall Street Journal's wine column, "Tastings," from 1998 to 2010  created  the annual "Open That Bottle Night" celebration of wine and friendship. 

In her words, "John and I invented Open That Bottle Night to provide an impetus for people to enjoy a wine they had been keeping for a special occasion that never arrived. Weddings, births, anniversaries, all manner of special milestones had come but those corks remained intact. We knew this happened because readers told us about bottles like that and we have many ourselves.
While we urge people to open them as often as possible, and we try to do that because no one is promised tomorrow, there are still some bottles that we just haven’t brought ourselves to open. Some are rather young, but special to us, still. The point is to open these gems with someone you care about and celebrate the memories that are in that bottle. Make them the occasion. Recognizing that sometimes it takes a village to do something difficult, we set a date, the last Saturday in February, for this global celebration of friendship, love and wine. This year, it’s Feb. 24th.

The hard part is choosing the wine. If it’s old and may have sediment, you’ll want to stand it up a couple days before Saturday the 24th so the sediment will settle in the bottom of the bottle. Have a back-up wine handy in case your first choice is irretrievably bad (and even then, don’t rush to throw it out. You’d be surprised how some old wines can pull themselves together by the next day).

It's not all about old and collectables. Some people use OTBN as a reason to finally buy a wine they’ve been curious about for some time.

Talk about the wine, why it’s special to you, and savor a little of it without food. Give it a minute alone, give it its due. And last, enjoy the wine for what it is, not what it might someday be or might once have been."

---

If you're either looking to buy a special bottle to celebrate or wondering which bottle from you existing collection you should open, we have some suggestions. 

Celebrations large and small (and really, why not just celebrate existence?) deserve champagne, and the 1997 Champagne Salon is really starting to drink at its peak.  

You can't go wrong with a Burgundy. The 2006 vintage of red Burgundy is drinking really nicely and 2013 vintage for white Burgundy will surprise you with their finesse.

Much like Burgundy, Barolo has a reputation for excellence. The 2004 Barolos are beginning to open up very nicely. 

With spring around the corner, it's time to open and drink 2016 rosés. They are better young (I'm sure many of us would say the same of ourselves!) and the 2017s are starting to hit the shores.  

Wine Down

Fresh off the Emmys we've been thinking more about what wines our favorite TV characters drink. 

More and more it seems wine is synonymous with strong female characters on TV shows. While Sex and the City made the cosmo famous, the 21st century has ushered in a new generation of wine drinkers. 

We know we aren’t the only ones who see a glass of wine on TV (or during a Netflix binge) and feel inspired to drink like the character. We’ve rounded up a few wine lovers from our favorite shows and wines inspired by their taste and personality.

Image: Buzzfeed

Alicia Florrick
In the Good Wife Alicia faces on challenge after another, but through it all she keeps a steady hand while pouring a glass of red wine. A lawyer with a life as complex as the cases she faced, Alicia would enjoy a bottle of Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir- not overly fruity with hints of savory primal character.

---

Claire Underwood
First lady turned Vice President Claire Underwood is cunning and plays by her own rules. No doubt she would appreciate MAAL winemaker Alfredo Merlo’s desire to produce “unique, elegant, and intense Malbec wines.” Claire would be right at home drinking a glass of bestial or rebellion.

---

 Skylar White
Few characters that grace our TV screens have been through more than Breaking Bad’s Walter White’s long-suffering wife Skylar White. While much changes over the course of the show, one things doesn’t- Skylar’s love for white wine. Pour yourself a glass of Marqués de Cáceres Verdejo or Cono Sur Bicicleta Sauvignon Blanc and cheers to the fact YOUR significant other isn’t cooking up meth.

---

Image: DailyMail

Cersei Lannister
Plotting, scheming, and downright dangerous, Cersei casually enjoys a glass of wine while blowing up part of a city. So if you too have similarly large plans (though hopefully less destructive) and are looking for the right wine to pair with said plans, pour of glass of Gradis’ciutta Merlot- the intense bouquet, dry taste, and slightly bitter taste will have you thinking of Cersei to the last drop.

---

Blair Waldorf
Queen B of the Upper East Side knows the best way to celebrate any success- whether personal or professional- is with a glass of bubbly. Treat yourself like our fabulously wealthy heroine and toast your latest success with a glass of the incomparable Champagne Salon or Champagne Delamotte. 

Malbec World Day: Fast Facts on a Unique wine

• April 17 is officially Malbec World Day!
   
• Why April 17? On that day in 1853, with the support of Mendoza’s governor Pedro Pascual Segura, a bill was submitted to the Provincial Legislature for the foundation of a Quinta Normal and a School of Agriculture. The bill was enacted as law by the House of Representatives on September 6th, 1853.

• Malbec has a history dating back hundreds of years. It was served at the wedding of Eleanor of Aquitaine to Henri II. Happen to have forgotten their anniversary? We have you covered. 1152 (over 800 years ago).
   
• Was once known as "black wine"...for fairly obvious reasons. Malbec is one of the darkest wines you can find. TintoNegro literally means Black Wine.

TintoNegro 

• While you might associate Malbec most closely with South America (and Argentina in particular), Malbec traces its origins back to France and was once the most widely planted grape in the country and found in many Bordeaux blends.
   
• In 1870,  phylloxera destroyed vineyards in France and ruined the Malbec vines in Bordeaux. This same pest has never taken hold in Argentina. 

Cahors, France

• By the end of the 19th century, viticulture had boomed in Argentina (in part thanks to Italian and French immigrants) and so did Malbec, which adapted quickly to the varied terroirs of Argentina. 
   
• Now Malbec only accounts for about 10,000 acres in Cahors and about 100,000 acres in Argentina. Malbec can also be found in countries throughout the world including the US and New Zealand, but Argentina has nearly 70% of all acres of Malbec in the world. 

Ernesto Catena

• Malbec vines are very sensitive to weather and pests (like phylloxera). They've thrived in high-altitude Argentina. 
   
• Argentina is now the 5th largest wine producer in the world. 

MAAL

• Argentinian Malbecs are fruit-forward, plummy, and velvety with prominent new oak.
   
• French Malbecs have more structure, firmer tannins, an inky dark quality, and are earthier. 
   
• BOTH have essential Malbec flavors of blueberry, cherry, and plum.