Tasting notes
It's worth tasting both, because they barely seem related. French Malbec — meaning Cahors, where the grape must by law make up at least 70% of the blend — is the older, sterner sibling: darker in temperament, firmer in tannin, higher in acid, with flavours that lean toward black plum, leather, tobacco and earth. These are structured wines that often want a few years to soften.
Argentine Malbec is the warmer, more open-hearted one: fruit-forward, velvety, ready to drink younger. Neither is better. But if you fell for Malbec in Mendoza and then opened a bottle from Cahors expecting the same thing, you'd be in for a surprise — a good one, if you know it's coming.
If Malbec is the heart of Argentine wine, Cabernet Franc is the rising star — see why we call it the “new prince” of the Uco Valley in our Cabernet Franc guide.
