It’s no secret that having a passion for wine is on the job description for all staff at The Hook! To commemorate World Malbec Day, we review our wine offering and explore some of our bestsellers.
World Malbec Day is celebrated each year on April 17th to symbolise the transformation of the Argentinian wine industry and celebrate the now emblem for Argentina. Originating in Cahors, in south western France, they are known as ‘Côt’. A French agronomist introduced Malbec to Argentina in 1853, in the hope that the French grape ‘Malbec’ would adapt to the soil. Fast forward 168 years and more than 75% of Malbec grapes are now grown in Argentina, with its best variations growing there.
Malbec has become a global favourite, particularly emerging in the last 20 years. It’s a great go-to for those who haven’t found their favourite as it’s versatile, packed full of flavour yet has a certain subtlety to it, making it suitable for all occasions and palates.
As we see the standard of Malbec in France rise as they try to play catch up, we’ve taken a look at some of our bestselling wine. Undoubtedly a bottle of Malbec Argentino, Felino from Mendoza is our most popular. Felino, like many other Malbec Argentinos, has aromas of red fruit, plums & cherries, notes of violet & spices with oak ageing of chocolate and tobacco flavours. We also offer a nice variety of Cabernet Sauvignon / Malbec blends.
A personal favourite at The Hook is the Nicassia, from Catena Zapata. It’s big and bold with dark cherry flavours and a good hint of vanilla from the oak. Look out for this one at The Wine Alley, it costs £50 and regularly scores 92+ points from critics!
Due to its success, Malbec is now used to produce different styles of wine; white, rosé, sparkling and sweet are now available, meaning there is a Malbec for every dish and occasion. However, we thoroughly recommend pairing Malbec with good quality red meat that has a decent fat content. The acidity cuts through the fat and the flavours of the wine make a perfect marriage.
If you’d like to learn (and drink) a little more about wine, we offer wine tasting packages at The Hook which can be booked via [email protected]
