Am I the only one sick of Malbec these days?

I've been musing about this for some time, but I feel like Malbec is going down the same path as Aussie Shiraz. It's everywhere, and while it's good, it's also becoming increasingly difficult to notice anything really interesting among the hundreds of Malbec flooding the markets.

I wrote a post on this on my site, if anyone cares to check it out (it is a bit long, so you've been warned!) http://www.melpriestley.com/archives/337

What do you think about this?

[David M. Bueker]

I've been sick of Malbec (except for Cahors) for a long time.

I too am spending time seeking out Cahors but as I sit at the tasting bar at DeVines facing the Argentina section I am happy to promote Achaval-Ferrer, Susanna Balbo and a couple of others (I love hand-selling). I avoid the "modern, international" malbecs that I have had the displeasure of sampling!
I simply cannot keep up with all the new arrivals but happily with forums like this one, I am able to keep in touch with what is happening out there.

I have not purchased an Oz red in a while but Vasse Felix from the cool climate Margaret River can turn me on. I still buy various whites from the country.

See you at the street party Mel?

It always seemed monolithic to me. The only thing I liked about it was its deep, thick darkness, as a novelty.

What do you think about this?

Who cares?

In the corner of the wine world that I inhabit, I haven't noticed this flood of bad malbec. Just the usual suspects of high quality Cahors and Loire cot.

[Jenise]

Melissa, I just never 'got' Argentine malbec in the first place. I'm served them often enough but with the single exception of a sleek little $10 model by a producer called Guggenheim that is a bit lighter in style in a barbaresco vs. barolo kind of way, more feminine and nuanced and nicely aromatic as well as totally absent the grilled flavor of toasted oak I find obnoxious about nearly all the rest--none have stood out. Oh, and I liked a malbec-cabernet by Amancaya once. And I've never had an Archaval Ferrer. I'm willing to believe that there are many better ones in Argentina than we see here, but about most of what's here...pass.

I'm with Rahsaan - never paid attention to it in the first place, so didn't notice it. The handful of Malbecs I've tried were fairly generic, ripe and dark fruited with some oak and none ever made me care enough to explore it any further.

(I need to find some more Clos Roche Blanche though. CRB, mmm...)

I've been sick of Malbec (except for Cahors) for a long time.

Comforting, since I'm shortly heading out to Cahors for the Malbec Conference there. (I understand there'll be some Argintinean wines there as well, though.)

OK, those were the points I was gonna make!
But let's don't forget the whole baby/bathwater bit. While I might be sick of the endless internationalized Malbec being served as the value wine, it's good to remember:
1) there are some good value Argentine Malbecs like Marguery and Altos Las Hormigas
2) beside Cahors, Cot can be great
3) the Achaval Ferrer single vineyards wines are world class- pricey for Malbec, but cheap compared to the top wines of most places.

[James Roscoe]

You get higher quality malbec at a lower price than just about any other red varietal. Is it great? No, but at my income level I have to cherry pick the good qpr wines and malbec tends to show up there more than most reds.

You get higher quality malbec at a lower price than just about any other red varietal. Is it great? No, but at my income level I have to cherry pick the good qpr wines and malbec tends to show up there more than most reds.

I agree, and that's why I've drank a fair amount of it over the past couple years. I think I also got a lot of exposure to it from working in the retail wine industry - I recommended it to a lot of people because it's one of those easy, crowd-pleaser wines, and people liked it and came back for more. Fairly quickly, the Argentinean Malbec section expanded from maybe a half dozen different ones to well over two dozen. I've also noticed way too many articles raving about how great Malbec is.

I tend to get sick of any trend, but I feel kind of guilty about this one because I used to be a little Malbec lover. I suppose we all have our guilty pleasures, though.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

You get higher quality malbec at a lower price than just about any other red varietal.

I'd have to be convinced by some *really* good Malbec... I'd say that good Loire Cabernet Franc or Cru Beaujolais would be a far better buy at almost any price point than whatever Malbecs I've tasted (and I've had a few better-reputed ones from producers mentioned in this thread that did little for me).

[Then again, I'm a recent recruit for the Baudry bandwagon ]

[James Roscoe]

Salil, you are putting down more bucks than I am or you have a better selection. Try finding Loire reds at an decent wine store in the $10 - $12 range and you will be sadly disappointed. As for bojo..... If you don't like the fingernail polish and banana flavors of Mr, De Boef then you pay a lot more and it is hard to find. Malbec is the go to for those of us in economic distress.

OK, those were the points I was gonna make!
But let's don't forget the whole baby/bathwater bit. While I might be sick of the endless internationalized Malbec being served as the value wine, it's good to remember:
1) there are some good value Argentine Malbecs like Marguery and Altos Las Hormigas
2) beside Cahors, Cot can be great
3) the Achaval Ferrer single vineyards wines are world class- pricey for Malbec, but cheap compared to the top wines of most places.

I recalled that you'd recommended Achaval Ferrer to me when I asked about interesting Argentinian Malbecs a year or two ago, but I'd never seen one. So, imagine my surprise when I walked into my one decent local retailer's recently and saw not just one bottling but the entire Achaval Ferrer lineup, up to the single vyd Malbces (and, yes, they are pricey). I brought back a bottle of the low end Malbec to test the waters, so to speak. I'll report on it in due course.

Mark Lipton

Mark, all Malbec Hounds await your verdict!

Salil, you are putting down more bucks than I am or you have a better selection. Try finding Loire reds at an decent wine store in the $10 - $12 range and you will be sadly disappointed. As for bojo..... If you don't like the fingernail polish and banana flavors of Mr, De Boef then you pay a lot more and it is hard to find.

True, the go-to wines I was thinking of are more in the $14-16 range. But I do have Chambers St. Wines nearby and shipping to me frequently. Baudry's Cuvee Domaine and Les Granges bottlings are around $16 with a mixed case discount, I've found really nice Beaujolais from the likes of Vissoux, JP Brun, Granger and Coudert in that price range as well, and given that I like a lighter, more aromatic style of wine than what Malbec offers, I'd rather look for those wines.

My knowledge of Argentinian Malbec is not great but I have found a lot of thick textured sameness in those that I have tried. One remark which struck me at the Malbec festival in Cahors a couple of years ago came from a Mendoza nurseryman. He said in substance that a lot their clonal research was aimed at reducing the differences in taste between different Mendoza Malbecs. At the same festival's tasting on the bridge I did, however, taste a very fine Reserva from Fabre & Montmayou.

I agree with others that there are a lot of interesting things coming from Cahors in a style which, unfortunately for sales, tends to lack crowd appeal (and also Parker appeal - is it the same thing?).

I generally like Argentine Malbecs that are not smothered in oak. I find some decent value quaffers, and some tasty higher end examples as well. Both Bodega Catena Zapata and Weinert make rather complex and interesting Malbec. I was given the Weinert by a colleague from Argentina. I have never seen it in the U.S. Definitely worth trying if you can find it.

Mostly yes. Been bored with them since about the dozenth one I ever tasted. But a few have stuck out over the years. Very recently, had this remarkable example:

Ben Marco, Malbec, Mendoza 2008
Huge, grippy black cherry, raspberry, currant, briar fruit, tobacco leaf, raspberry leaf, a touch of citrus, savory tones with a touch of herbs, and Graves-style scortched earth. A bit smokey as well. Quite old world in style. Unlike any Argentine Malbec I've had, with all of the strengths, but with a refreshing level of original character and interest. And furthermore amongst the best Argentine Malbecs I've had. Excellent / Exceptional (89 - 91) [5/1/10]

Weinert is a more traditional style producer, never been out of luck here. Ben Marco is gaining some rave reviews of late, time to open an `06 I have stashed away.
Tim mentions Fabre & Montmayou. Seen on the shelf here, must try soon!

[Robin Garr]

A lot of them, sadly, have become internationalized/Parkerized, and the arrival of Marco di Grazia as a principal at Altos Los Hormigas may provide subtext to that tale.

Still, there's a lot of good red-wine value in the moderately priced range, particularly more traditional producers. One way to "get" Malbec is to enjoy it in context at a decent Argentine restaurant - with beef, of course!

[James Roscoe]

I kind of like Malbec with pizza or other tomato based sauces. I also like CdR with them too which is another qpr wine in these difficult times.