Malbec today: Can Argentina's flagship wine become a global category?

At the end of the 19th century, and thanks to Italian and French immigrants, viticulture developed exponentially and, with this, Malbec, which quickly adapted to the different terroirs proposed by our geography where it developed, still better than in its original region. Thus, over time and with a lot of work, it has become the flagship grape of Argentina. But this, more than sought after, has occurred naturally. Because Malbec has traveled in the same boat as the other French varieties of Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc); among other European strains; by Michel Aimé Pouget (1821-1875).

The French agronomist who presented to the legislature of Mendoza on April 17, 1853 the bill (approved September 6) to create a fifth model and an agricultural school in the province, on the recommendation of Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, from his exile in Chile. Following the French model, this initiative proposed to incorporate new varieties to improve the national wine sector. The idea was to improve the vineyards, and therefore the quality of the wines, and promote an industry that promised to consolidate itself as one of the most important.

And that was the case, with Mendoza as a leader (since the railroad arrived there), and San Juan has always followed it closely. The immigrants arrived at the port of Buenos Aires with their vineyards (and olive trees) under their arms and continued their journey to the Cuyo region. Because there was a land for cultivation, with poor soils, ideal for the development of viticulture (and olive) and a desert climate, with little rain and lots of sunshine. Ideal conditions for the good maturity of the grapes, thanks to the fact that the missing water of the rains could be provided by the ditches (cbads) created by the Indians, in order to take advantage of the meltwater of the Andes Cordillera.

In 1980, Argentine wine was present in all homes of the country, because the custom was to have lunch and dinner with wine, either in a bottle of one liter with a screw cap, or in a half jeans. Per capita consumption at that time was a world record. 90 liters per capita (today, 19); and the industry grew because all the elaborated wine was consumed in the internal marking. But one of the many wine crises has been decisive in showing winegrowers that it was not so easy and that they needed to retrain. Betting to get better quality wines, sacrificing the amount of grapes in the vineyards, technifying the wineries and implementing more detailed processes, both in the vineyard and in the cellars.

But at that time, the (rare) great national wines were designed in the image and resemblance of Bordeaux, high place of red wines. With wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon; already considered the king of grape varieties. They can be pure (we do not talk about grape varieties at the time), or be mixed with merlot and malbec.

Still no one trusted the oenological skills of Malbec, which was already the second most established strain of the country, behind the Bonarda. Two varieties very well adapted to the region, very generous yields and oenological attributes sought at that time, but the need to become known with Argentine wines has caused an unexpected turn. Because the "big" Argentine reds and whites made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay have not been admired by any buyer. Because, compared to the French, Americans or Australians, they lost. So in 2000, Malbec broke out (little by little), because it was original, but also because it offered a different wine, with its own characteristics and, above all, a great potential .

The vine is now in its best moment, with 43,000 hectares representing 37.53% of the total red varieties planted and 21.40% of the total area cultivated in the country. Similarly, the variety has increased the most since the last 19 years, increasing by 163% (from 26,653 hectares) against 16,347 hectares. in 2000 to 43,000 hectares. Currently. In this distribution, Mendoza leads the Malbec national production with 36,585.50 hectares (85.05% of the total vineyards). San Juan immediately followed with 2,651.50 a. of plantations (6.17%), Salta with 1,386.30 hectares. (3.22%), La Rioja, Neuquén, Rio Negro and Catamarca.

But quantity is not synonymous with quality, beyond what it contributes to the global positioning, since second place with the most hectares planted in Malbec is Cahors, the southern commune. West of France. And here, the know-how of agronomists and winemakers was fundamental. First learn to vinify it with more body and concentration, and to age it in new oak barrels (French or American), as the "demand" the emerging global consumer. But they soon realized that there was no hand, that the secret was in the vineyard, since wine was born in the vineyard. And began the exhaustive study of the climate first, then that of the soils. And a new stage has begun, as it has gone from a viticulture resulting from the correction (of problems of vineyards and vineyards) to a phase of precision.

This is why, over the last decade, the terroir has been looked at to understand its influence on wines and, faced with this ambitious challenge, Malbec was the real protagonist of the understanding of the terroirs and the interpretation of the differences and incidents. in each strain. Today, the flagship variety of our country is resurfacing and inspiring current styles in the improvement of taste and perennial perception, the oenology of today not speaking of perfection, but faithfully and subtly representing the place of origin.

The identification of micro-regions, the study of soils, the quest for identity and technology in the service of winemaking have made Malbec show what it can offer until it becomes that he is today: the ambbadador of a country in the world. . Its richness, plasticity and diversity have led to a veritable revolution in national vitiviniculture, reflecting its exports with a growth of more than 375% in just 11 years, and its establishment as the most planted variety in Argentina, with 21 % of the total. vineyards.

Malbec is undoubtedly the best "vehicle" to browse the different landscapes of Argentine wine through glbades. And it is to celebrate, not only because the quality of current wines is the best in history, but because it continues to show that it has a lot of potential. Varietal or blend, with cabernet franc or sauvignon, for example. As if Malbec smelled the height and reflected it in the bottles, from the most extreme to 3000 meters in the high valleys of Calchaquíes, to the south of Patagonia, while pbading by the different soils Cuyo ranging from 600 meters to the east from the Mendocina, and they reach more than 1200 to Valle de Uco (Mendoza) and Valle de Pedernal (San Juan).

Now, the challenge of Malbec is to become a global category. What he has achieved locally should be able to do it around the world. But it's not as easy as it looks, because it's not the only one, but it's competing with all the world's wines. But today, apart from the French, Italians and Spaniards, nobody owns wine. However, Malbec is synonymous with Argentina, at least for professionals and, little by little, for the most interested consumers. And this unique opportunity to have a flag bearer is the key to, at least pretending, conquering the world. This means, a priori, recovering the share of 4.5% of exported wines in the world. And then tap the full potential of Argentina, still with Malbec in mind, to triple the current position (2.5%) and settle about 7%; natural position in which it should be.

Argentine Malbec in figures

-Since 2011, malbec is the most cultivated variety in Argentina; leader in volume, quality and exports. With some 43,000 hectares under cultivation, malbec accounts for 37.5% of the total red varieties (winemaking) planted in Argentina and 21.4% of the country's cultivated area.

-the variety that has increased its area: it has increased its cultivated area by 163%, from 16,347 hectares in 2000 to nearly 44,000 hectares. Currently.

-Mendoza concentrates 85% of the surface of this variety, which equates to 38,585 hectares.

-Argentine has given Malbec a very important place on the world wine scene.

Among the countries to which Malbec is exported are: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, China, Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and Peru.

-Argentine is an inseparable synonym of Malbec. An emblematic case in which a country establishes a direct badociation with a grape variety, saves it from oblivion and marks an innovation on the world wine scene.

With respect to the external market, 63.2% of the total marketed is Malbec (based on INVEX data) and, from January to December 2018, a total of USD 481,426,237 was recorded as a product of the market. Argentine Malbec that has reached world In this sense, the United States retain its position as the main destination of the variety (183 596 402 USD), followed by the United Kingdom (72 250 045 USD), Canada (37 610 570) and Brazil (28,162,432). For its part, China remains one of the most important markets since, with an expansion rate of nearly 28% per year, the Asian country occupies the sixth rank of exports with 14,997,381 USD. In this sense, China is a clear goal for Argentine wine in the coming years and for which WofA's work is strategically oriented.