Malbec has begun to undergo a mini renaissance

in the last ten years, largely fuelled by its success

in South America.

It used to be a regular component of the Bordeaux Blend, but growers have now replaced it with more fashionable, and crucially, more durable grapes.

It is still grown successfully in South West France where its most famous wine is Cahors. This wine used to be black as coal and tough as leather but winemaking improvements have led to riper, softer, more approachable wines that are now amongst the best of the region.In Argentina it is widely grown and produces deep coloured wines with generous black fruit characteristics, balanced acidity and smooth tannins.
In Chile it is the third most widely planted grape and tends to produce firmer wines than its Argentinian neighbours and is often blended with Merlot.