Photo Via The Spruce Eats

Did you know April 17th is also known as World Malbec Day? Malbec is one of the most popular grape varietals and for good reason. These grapes produce great wines all over the world! When I say Malbec, what country comes to mind? Most would say Argentina, and you’re not wrong. Argentina is well-known for malbec, however, the grape varietal actually came from France (it’s one of the varietals allowed to be used in a red Bordeaux blend)!

Malbec is an inky purple grape varietal with sturdy tannins and bold fruit flavors. It’s a varietal that expresses notes of cocoa, red plum, blackberries, and sometimes sweet tobacco. As a wine, they tend not to have the longest finish like some other big bold reds, but don’t let that deter you, malbec is wonderful with lean meats, cheeses, and even fish!

For World Malbec Day I wanted to give you guys some great choices you can buy at your local liquor or wine stores, as well as online. During this time it’s important to stay in, but it doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy a great wine holiday, right? Well, below are some of my top picks with a recipe pairing to make your world malbec day a success! These wines are imported by Hess Family Collections, so they are easily accessible at many wine and liquor stores.

“Amalaya wines stem from an experiment at Bodega Colomé.  The idea was to find alternative sourcing and varieties for Malbec and Torrontés blends.” 

Amalaya Malbec 2018: A Malbec blend at 85%, 10% Tannat, and 5% Petit Verdot. Winemaker Jorge Noguera puts 25% of this wine in French Oak for eight months. It’s full of ripe fruit with pepper and floral notes. Some nice vanilla comes through from the French oak, followed by soft tannins and a nice long finish. This wine would pair nicely with Brown Sugar Crusted Salmon. $16

“Bodega Colomé is one of the oldest working wineries in Argentina and home to the highest wine-producing vineyards in the world.” 

Colomé Estate Malbec 2017: This gem is a great wine and an even better buy! From the Calchaquí Valley, in Salta, Argentina, this lush wine is full of ripe fruit, oak, and intensity. Nice floral aromas leap out of the glass, followed by red berries, and oak. This wine is a blend of four different terroirs and is 100% Malbec. It spends 15 months in oak, and then 6 months in the bottle, and would easily pair with Carne Asada Tacos! $25

Colomé Auténtico Malbec 2018: This wine is a single vineyard, low intervention wine that’s quite striking. It’s from the Calchaquí Valley, in Salta, Argentina with vineyards reaching 2300 meters. This single-vineyard wine is intense with cherry and fig notes and aromas. It has nice concentration, smooth tannins, and a lingering finish. This is a wine to enjoy with a meal and I would honestly pair this with a delicious and juicy Bison Burger! $30

If you’re looking for some great wines to celebrate with on April 17th, absolutely try to find one of these Malbecs at a store near you. This is a very versatile grape varietal and can easily pair well with ethnic cuisine, vegan and vegetarian cuisine as well.

Always remember, eat what you like and drink what you love. Please pair responsibly!