BLACK MAGIC – CAHORS MALBEC WINES

With both Hallowe’en and All saints Day just around the corner, it seemed appropriate, that on a recent wine trip to France, to accept the proffered invitation to move over to the dark side, of wines that is.  

Hence, a flying visit to Cahors, at the invitation of renowned chef Robert Veril, who knows everyone there is to know in the local wine business, including my host for the afternoon, the charming, handsome, Jérémy Arnaud, the Marketing Director for Cahors Malbec wines.

Thus began a marathon tasting session, including visits to three local vineyards, with a four hour lunch the following day. I’m not joking when I say that being in the food and wine business requires stamina, especially if I’m to remain sufficiently sober to remember what I’ve tasted! It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it, to keep you well informed, and I’ve got the pictures to prove it!

First things first. Cahors is situated along the Lot River in the South of France and is best known for its ‘black wines’, which have been made and exported for almost 1000 years, long before Bordeaux developed its own wine industry.

The wines are known as ‘black wines’ because of the deeply intense colour of the wine produced from the principal grape, Malbec, a popular choice also for wines from the Mendoza region of Argentina. Until fairly recently these wines were considered to be at the cheap and cheerful end of French wines, the type you find on the bottom shelf at supermarkets, but no longer. Since AOC status was granted in 1971, the makers of these red wines have focused on quality and character, and at the upper end, there is certainly plenty of both, along with an intense, almost tangible, passion. These wines pair beautifully with the walnuts, truffles and foie gras that form the backbone of the region’s cuisine.  

Getting the balance between commerciality and quality is a fine art. The wines of Cahors Malbec can broadly be divided into three styles – tender and fruity (around £6 a bottle) intended for easy everyday drinking; tasty and powerful (£10 a bottle) aged 12 months in oak; intense and complex (£15 up), the best of which will age for 10 years or more.

Under the AOC status a small amount of Merlot or Tannat is permitted but top wines are usually made from 100% Malbec. As with most good wines, the older the wine the more developed and complex the nuances of flavour become, losing some of the simple fruity character of a young wine, to be replaced by hints of truffle, chocolate, violet and spice. Around 80% of the producers have small vineyards, often with no more than 15ha. under vine. 

Favourites, amongst those that are chateau bottled and sampled on this trip include:-

·        Château Pineraie, L’Authentique, 2009, 13%, séléction parcellaire  £24 – only, 20,000 bottles produced. Smooth and chocolatey, yet retaining some fruit character.

·        Domaine de Capelanel, Cuvée Titouan, 2009, 15%,  £22 – this family has been making wines here for 5 generations. 10,000 bottles a year produced from old vines. Hints of liquorice and mint on the palate.

·        Clos Troteligotte, ‘K’, 2009, 14%, £20 - organic producer, using small parcels of land to produce his ‘K’ wines, this one aged 24 months in oak. This one, black as ink. Surprisingly, Emmanuel has not heard of ‘K-9’, but his ‘K2’, like its namesake in the Himalayas, is a big wine. Some white and rose also produced, in the hope of non-red wines from Cahors eventually being granted AOC status.

·        Château Ponzac, Eternellement, 2011, 15.5%, £18 – a powerful wine, providing a big bang for the buck. Aromatic, tasting of cooked black fruits, along with a spicy element. Made by this family since the 17^th century.

·        Château Lagrezette, Cru Exception, Tete de Cuvée, 2002, 13.5%, £60 – The premier cru of this 500 year old winery. Grapes are harvested and de-stemmed by hand. Elegant, long keeping, with hints of cocoa, vanilla and blackcurrant.

·        Château de Cèdre, Cahors GC, 2003, 14%, £75 - organic vineyard with old vines, oak aged for 2 years, and handpicked grapes. A complex aroma of farmyard, coffee and truffles. Described as ‘tip top’ by my host; I agree.

Not all are readily available in the UK, but any of the wines from these passionate winemakers are well worth looking out for. 

Incidentally, ‘Cahors’  has its own official wine glass, complete with a finger hole in the centre of the stem, and did I mention, that for Hallowe’en, there’s no need to get a costume, as the wines do literally turn your teeth and tongue black?! Happy drinking.