The famous Malbec wine grape

Malbec is a technical dark grape variety originally from France with its own unique character. The culture got its "second wind" in Argentina, where it confidently took the position of the flagship variety. It is in this country that the grapes have revealed their potential in the best possible way, thanks to the suitable climate and rocky soil.

History and description of the Malbec grape variety

The Malbec grape is known in many countries. According to legend, the vine came to France thanks to the Hungarian farmer Malbec, who began to grow it. At first, grapes were used to equalize the taste of wines from other varieties.

Over time, the culture took root in France, and now occupies the bulk of the plantings in the Cahors district, and in Bordeaux it is among the 6 permitted varieties. Here the variety is grown under the name Cot.

Reference. The Malbec variety has other names as well. In France, besides Cot, it is called Pressac, Quercy, Auxerrois. The widespread Pied Noir means "black leg".

According to another version, the authorship belongs to French breeders. Malbec was obtained by crossing late and medium ripening varieties. The plant belongs to the Western European group and is cultivated in France, Argentina, Chile, USA, northern Italy.

Malbec has experienced ups and downs. In 1956, frosts destroyed about 75% of the bushes in Europe, so the growers switched to more hardy and frost-resistant varieties.

In the middle of the 19th century, culture came to Argentina thanks to Michel Pouget. It was in this country that she embarked on a new path of development. Here the berries ripen better, acquire maximum aroma, color and juiciness. The area of ​​vine plantations in Argentina covers more than 28 thousand hectares. In the province of Mendoza, 80% of all plantations are cultivated. There are 22 officially registered clones of the variety in the country.

In the 80s of the twentieth century, Argentine winemakers refused to cultivate Malbec due to its low prospects and began to deliberately destroy the vineyards. By a miracle, about 10 thousand acres survived. A few years later, the Argentines realized their mistake and began to restore the lost. Wines from this variety became so popular that they had to hastily plant young bushes, which have less potential compared to the old vine.

Features of the Malbec variety:

1. The bushes are not tall, they are characterized by insignificant growth force. The crop prefers shading and grows best in the highlands with significant differences in night and day temperatures.
2. Leaves are medium in size, slightly funnel-shaped or flat with downward curved edges. The dissection is different: the leaf is whole or with deep cuts, three- and five-lobed. The surface is wrinkled, reticulate with a weak cobweb edge.
3. The petiole notch is open, lyre-shaped or vaulted.
4. The flowers are bisexual, do not require additional pollination.
5. Bunches are medium or small, conical or broadly conical, loose.
6. Berries of medium size, round shape, dark blue or black color with a thick waxy bloom. Length - 1.6 cm, weight - 4-6 g.
7. The thickness of the skin is medium. The pulp is juicy, melts in the mouth. Recoil juice - 90%. The color becomes almost inky.
8. Ripening period - 141-155 days from the moment of budding to full ripeness with the sum of active seasonal temperatures 2800-3050 ° C.
9. Shoots ripen completely, grow 10-12 cm long.
10. Productivity is unstable due to the tendency to fall flowers - 40-160 centners / ha.
11. Low resistance to mildew, anthracnose and gray rot, medium to powdery mildew.
12. Malbec is not resistant to winter frosts and late spring frosts.

The photo shows the Malbec grape variety.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of the variety:

• suitable for the production of wine with a rich fruit and berry taste and aroma;
• drought resistance;
• does not need additional pollination;
• high yield of berries;
• the possibility of growing on stony soil.

Disadvantages:

• the tendency to shedding flowers requires constant leaving behind the landings;
• low resistance to fungal diseases and frost;
• unstable yield.

Malbec wine

The secret to the success of Malbec grapes lies in the reflection of the character of each growing region.... The technical variety with rich berries is suitable for the production of wines with a concentrated taste and a poor aroma. The bouquet contains spicy, chocolate, marmalade, cherry, plum, oak and vanilla notes. Wines are characterized by a high aging potential.

Harvested in the Argentine Uco Valley, it has excellent acidity and contains enveloping tannins. The color of the drink is deep, balanced and rich.

In the southern regions of Mendoza, Malbec ripens early, is characterized by increased sugar content and low acidity.

Reference. In Argentina, there are several wine-growing areas that control wines by origin (DOC). One of these regions is Lujan de Cuyo. Here the vineyards are located on rocky ground, and the color of the wine is almost black.

Malbec grape drink prepared without aging in barrels is recommended to be consumed throughout the year. Wine aged for 3-4 months is stored in bottles for 2-3 years, with a long aging period (up to a year) - up to 10 years.

Malbec wines are mid-priced, making them an alternative to more expensive drinks. Interestingly, the aroma changes with the climate. When grown in cooler France, a wine with raspberry and cherry notes is obtained. Argentine wine smells like plums and blackberries. The longer the aging, the stronger the notes of tobacco, coconut and vanilla are felt in the aftertaste.

Malbec is served with red meat, hard cheeses, pasta with thick tomato sauce. Drink temperature - + 17… + 21 ° С.

Planting seedlings

The variety shows the best productivity when the vineyards are located on the hills on the south side of the site, protected from gusty winds... Bushes do not tolerate drafts and react with a decrease in the rate of development and taste of berries. A suitable soil type is black earth or rocky soil with a lot of sand.

Landing is performed cuttings... 24 hours before, they are soaked in a growth stimulator ("Epine"). Pits measuring 70x70 cm are formed on the site. Drainage (crushed stone or broken brick) is placed on the bottom. The earth is mixed with a solution of mullein (1:10). A layer of clean soil is poured on top, then a cutting with a developed root system is planted and covered with soil to the level of the root collar. The soil is compacted and watered abundantly with water.

Planting is carried out in the second decade of April - mid-May, since the plant does not tolerate return frosts well. Specific dates depend on the climate in the region.

Subtleties of further care

The vineyard needs moderate watering. The best way is to install a drip system and sprinkle irrigation during a prolonged drought.

Top dressing is applied three times per season, taking into account the growing season:

• at the beginning of the formation of leaves, the bushes are fertilized with nitrogen-containing agents (20 g of superphosphate and 15 g of potassium salt per 10 l of ready-made chicken manure solution);
• during the formation of ovaries - phosphoric (60 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water);
• when fruiting - potash (100 g of superphosphate and 50 potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water).

Pruning

Shoots ripen quickly, therefore pruning carried out three times a year: in spring, dead and weakened branches are removed, in summer they are shortened after the appearance of the first ovaries, in autumn - after harvesting.

Winegrowers recommend using a short pruning technique, popularly referred to as "on the knot". After such a procedure, 2–4 eyes remain on the shoots. Layers from the first eye are broken off by hand so that the vine grows inside the bush, and not outward.

Wintering

In late autumn, they begin to prepare the vines for winter: they water the soil abundantly and make shelter from spruce branches, slate, straw, agrofibre or dense film. For air circulation, an air vent is left and closed when the air temperature drops below -18 ° C.

Disease and pest control

Low resistance to mildew and powdery mildew requires preventive processing plantings "Ridomil", Bordeaux liquid, preparations with colloidal sulfur.

The grapes are not resistant to anthracnose pathogens (signs - dark spots on leaves and berries) and gray rot (gray-brown bloom on shoots and berries). For the treatment of anthracnose, "Acrobat" and "Antracol" are used, gray rot - "Thanos", "Horus", "Strobi", "Bayleton", "Topsin-M", "Rubigan".

Council. To protect the crop from the attacks of wasps, each bunch is placed in a fine mesh or fabric bag.

A danger to culture is represented by the caterpillars of the grape leafworm. Pests feed on flowers and berries, destroying up to 40% of the crop. Gray rot develops on damaged berries.

Insecticides are used to kill insects (Zolon, Fury, Talstar, Angio 247) and biological products (Fitoverm, Lepidocid, Aktofit, Bitoxibacillin).

Harvesting and storage

It is undesirable to leave the Malbec crop on the bush because of the tendency to fall off and cracking of the berries. It is harvested in late autumn and immediately sent for processing, since grapes of industrial varieties are not subject to long-term storage.

Similar varieties

There are several varieties that have similar characteristics to the Malbec grape:

1. Shiraz, or Sira - red grade. Most of the vineyards are located in France. The culture is grown in Australia, USA, South Africa. The plant requires a lot of sunlight and heat to mature. When overripe, the characteristics of the variety are lost. The berries are dense, juicy, with a thick, almost black skin. The output is wine with a high alcohol content, dense, with the aroma of fruits, spices, chocolate and black pepper.
2. Merlot - the world's second most widespread red wine grape, native to Bordeaux. The berries are large with a thin dark blue skin. Wines contain fewer tannins, more sugar and less malic acid. The young drink captures the aroma of raspberries, blackberries, cherries, violets, plums, coffee and cocoa. When mature, notes of figs, chocolate, black pepper, truffle and leather appear.
3. Dolcetto Is an Italian wine variety cultivated in Piedmont. The berries are small, dark blue, juicy. Translated from Italian literally means "little sweet", although the name does not reflect the essence of the finished drink. The wine turns out to be tart, dry, with low acidity, notes of licorice and almonds and a slight bitter aftertaste.
4. Toriga National Is a newfangled technical dark grape variety that is gaining popularity in Portugal. A thick rind with an intense shade is responsible for the color of the finished drink. The variety is used to make fortified wines. The grapes give the wine a viscous consistency and aging ability.
5. Petit verdot - a technical grape variety with small dark blue berries. Forms more than 2 brushes on one shoot. Wine from Petit Verdot acquires a bluish-black hue and a high level of tannins. The variety is cultivated in Italy, Portugal, Spain, Chile, Argentina.
6. Nero d'Avola - the most common black grapes on about. Sicily.The name translates as "black from Avola" - a city in the southeast of Sicily. Wines from this variety are distinguished by a high tannin content, peppery and plum notes.
7. Mourvedre Is a technical red grape native to Spain. The berries are small, thick-skinned, dark, with a record high tannin content. The wine has a thick texture, rich color and blackberry-cherry bouquet.

Conclusion

The dark wine grape variety Malbec originated in France, but is most widespread in sunny Argentina. The local climate turned out to be more favorable for the cultivation of crops. Berries with a juicy pulp and dark blue, almost black skin are used to produce a rich wine with a fruity and berry aroma and hints of spice.

The culture is characterized by low resistance to fungi and frost, unstable yield due to the tendency to shedding flowers. To maintain health, plants are treated with fungicides and covered for the winter.