The Malbec World Day is celebrated every 17th of April in Argentina to commemorate the decision taken in 1853 by the late Argentine president, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento, which changed the country’s wine industry forever. That day, he asked the agronomist Michel Aimé Pouget, also known as Miguel Pouget, to bring new grape varieties from France to Argentina. Among his selection, he chose the Malbec stock, native to the Cahors region, located in the southwest of France. The grape bloomed in the Argentine lands and, with the passing of time, produced even better wines than the French ones. That, alongside some incidents that reduced the Malbec vineyards in Europe –a pest in the 19th century; halfway through the 20 century, a frost destroyed 75% of the plantations in Bordeaux–, contributed to turning Argentina into the first Malbec producing country in the world. It is also the most grown grape in the country. It generates intense dark-coloured wines with fruity aromas and a velvety texture. Over 80% of the wines come from the wine region of Mendoza, the most important wine production area in the country. Wines of Argentina, the organisation that has been in charge of promoting the Argentine wines in the world since 1993, also organises the Malbec World Day, which has been celebrated since 2011. By means of Argento’s blog, The Real Argentina, discover the different activities celebrated during the Malbec World Day in several dozens of cities worldwide –New York, Sao Paulo, Toronto or London included. Vintage wine tastings, seminars, guided visits to vineyards and wineries and even balloon rides celebrate the arrival of the Argentina’s star grape. Many restaurants join the festivities with a special promotion of their Malbec wines, both varietal and assemblage wines (normally blended with the Cabernet Sauvignon variety). Besides, in certain places presents are raffled among the attendants to the events. The Malbec World Day is particularly popular in North America, where Malbec wines have been captivating wine lovers for the last decades.
Given its big, bouncy personality, Malbec naturally throws a party for itself every year – and why shouldn’t it? Every 17th of April we celebrate Argentina’s most popular adopted grape with Malbec World Day. But what if you’re pregnant, or under doctor’s orders to give booze the red light? Here are some alternative ways to celebrate Malbec without the alcohol.
Few people beyond South American shores realise that Argentina is the fifth biggest wine producer in the world, making myriad varieties from vineyards that stretch from lofty Salta in the North West to the windswept river valleys of Patagonia in the south. From aromatic, spicy Torrontés to supple Pinot Noirs, by way of Viognier, Chardonnay, Cabernets Franc and Sauvingon, plus up-and-coming grapes such as Bonarda and Tempranillo, Argentina’s rich heritage of vines delivers a surprising wealth of styles.
Argentine cinema is coming to London – with wine tasting, a football fiesta and screenings of award-winning UK premieres, thrillers, mockumentaries, comedies, shorts and music videos. After its massively successful launch last year, the Argentine Film Festival is returning to London – and coinciding with Malbec World Day on 17 April in a very special way. Featuring ten vibrant and very different films shot in various places around Argentina, each screening at the Ritzy, the Hackney Picturehouse and Cineworld Haymarket will be preceded by short music films.
‘If you’ve got it, flaunt it’, goes the saying, and Argentina has taken this to heart with the coming Malbec World Day on 17th April which will see a 24 hour celebration of its flagship grape sweeping the globe.