Winemaker Notes
Endowed with ruby colour enhanced with red highlights, Les Jamelles Malbec is a powerful wine, with a spicy nose reminiscent of liquorice and both red and black fruit. It is supple on the palate though well structured, boasting big fruit along with persistent spicy notes and fine tannins that give elegant length.
This wine is ideal with Mediterranean cuisine (ratatouille), couscous, tajine, grilled red meats, spicy dishes, or a simple plate of assorted cold cuts and cheeses, and even with a chocolate dessert! Catherine Delaunay recommends serving this emblematic Argentinian varietal with an Angus or Argentinian beef steak served with pepper sauce.
Celebrated for its bold flavors and supple texture, Malbec has enjoyed runaway success in Argentina since the late 20th century. The grape originated in Bordeaux, France, where it historically contributed color and tannin to blends. A French agronomist, who saw great potential for the variety in Mendoza’s hot, high-altitude landscape, brought Malbec to Argentina in 1868. Somm Secret—If you’re trying to please a crowd, Malbec is generally a safe bet with its combination of dense fruit and soft tannins.
A catchall term for the area surrounding the Languedoc and Roussillon, Pays d’Oc is the most important IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée) in France, producing 85% of this country’s wine under the IGP designation. (IGP indicates wine of good quality, not otherwise elevated to the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status.)
The near perfect Mediterranean climate combined with dry, cool winds from the north, optimal soils, altitudes and exposures make Pays d’Oc an ideal wine growing region. Single varietal wines and blends are possible here and while many types of grapes do well in Pays d’Oc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Grenache and Cinsault are among the most common.