From Bordeaux with Love

The now-popular name for the grape variety côt (CO), malbec (MAL-beck) is native to southwestern France. The offspring of two obscure French grapes—madeleine noire des Charentes and prunelard—malbec is the leading grape variety in Argentina, where it has been planted since the mid-nineteenth century after crossing the Atlantic from Bordeaux. Most Argentine wines labeled as malbecs are 100% that variety. Malbec tends to be lower in acidity and slightly less tannic than cabernet sauvignon. The best are inky rich wines with soft textures.

What wines should be swirled in the glass before drinking them?

A. All wines

B. All wines except Champagne

C. All wines except Champagne and dessert wines

D. The only wines that really need to be swirled are powerful red wines

Whites, reds, rosés, Champagnes, fortified wines, dessert wines—you name it—they should all be swirled before drinking them. Swirling aerates or “opens up” a wine by mixing the volatile (smellable) compounds in the wine with air. Wines that have been swirled smell and taste more pronounced. Admittedly, fortified wines like Port are usually swirled gently because really vigorous swirling can cause the alcohol in such wines to smell overpowering. As for Champagnes and sparkling wines, though the bubbles help by propelling the aromas upward, it’s still a good idea to swirl the wine gently. If you have room that is. Alas, in the United States, most sparkling wines and Champagnes are poured to the top of the rim of the glass, making it nearly impossible to swirl.

“Wine is earth’s answer to the sun.”

—Margaret Fuller,
American journalist
(1810 – 1850)

From Bordeaux with Love

Get WineSpeed