Malbec was the driving force for Argentina's success in the wine world, and is starting to crop up all over the new world. Amanda Barnes chats about the future of the wine with Ricardo Giadorou, owner of Dolium wines, who is a regular speaker at Malbec conferences around the world.
"Argentina only really realised how special their Malbec was when the US consumers created a big demand for it," Ricardo tells me while demonstrating the huge rise to fame (and in exports) of Argentina's top grape. "Before they were making lots of different wines, but when the US started demanding Malbec – it really took off."
The growth of Malbec in Argentina was phenomenal, and still remains so – with even recent years seeing an average increase of 50% in exports to the US. "Malbec was suited to US consumer tastes, and also hit the right price bracket at under $10US a bottle."However with ever increasing costs and exhausting inflation in Argentina, Ricardo fears that Argentina's future as the king of Malbecmay not be so certain. Cahors is enjoying a comeback in their Malbec production (they are the 2ndMalbec producer in the world), but labour in France is expensive and they will never be part of the under $10US club – Cahors will always be niche due to its size and price.
