Why Chophouse loves Malbec

Full bodied and dark fruited Malbec is a wine that embraces the robust flavors of the menu at Chophouse. Malbec’s spiritual home is the warm, Mediterranean climate of Cahors in South West France. Its journey to Argentina began in the mid-19th century when it was brought back by a provincial governor, Domingo Faustino Sarimeto, as part of collection of cuttings sourced from French vineyards. While plantings in France declined, Malbec flourished in Argentina, especially in the dry, high altitudes of Mendoza. Today the best Malbec in the world is from Mendoza and Malbec is now Argentina’s most popular grape variety. 

 

Malbec is an incredibly versatile grape that makes wines that suit a wide variety of drinkers and dining occasions. “Violet, blueberry and plum flavors are the signature of these wines,” says Sommelier Eleonore Wulf.  “Their rich fruit flavors and intelligent use of oak smooth out the palette and they have a refreshing acidity and firm tannins that make them perfect with red meats, especially beef and the sweet gamy flavors of lamb.”

 

Every year on April 17th wine lovers across the world come together to celebrate Malbec World Day. In praise of Malbec and its affinity with the food we love Chophouse has selected a group of winemakers whose wines we believe sum up the unique flavours of one of the world’s most popular red wine styles. Malbec and its rich, full-bodied fruit flavors are purpose built for food that celebrates the union between meat, fire and smoke.  To help celebrate everything Malbec, Eleonore and Head Chef Scott Kim will be collaborating on a menu of Chophouse favourites with matched wines in a week-long celebration of the incredible and delicious relationship Malbec has with food.

 

Wineries featured across the week will include Terrazas which draws grapes from its vineyards nestled in the foothills of the Andes mountains. For more than 100 years the wines of Terrazas have characterized the unique climate of the Uco Valley in the heart of Mendoza with their powerfully flavoured Malbecs. Along with its approachability as a young wine Malbec can age beautifully as time transforms it into a complex, layered wine full of elegant, earthy flavors. The 2008 Bedega Catena is such a wine and its array of flavors and soft, savoury tannins are perfect with dry aged beef.

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