Vinovalie, Les Galets d'Olt, Cahors, 2015

A fresh and elegant aged Cahors Malbec from Vinovalie

Malbec was, until the 1950s, a blending grape in Bordeaux for beefing up lighter, paler wines; now representing just 1% of the Bordeaux vineyard, its French home has become Cahors where it is traditionally dark, chewy and rather rustic.

A driving holiday last year took us to the region where we stocked up on everyday medal-winners. This wine, like all the others purchased locally, is very different from the stereotype for Cahors; paler, fresher, lower in alcohol and tannins, it has been made with quite the gentle hand in the cellar.

Vinovalie, Les Galets d'Olt, Cahors 2015 (c. €5, Intermarché) juicy red and dark berries, plums and blueberries with vanilla spice and freshness; very fine, well-integrated, gentle tannins. Savoury, with good underpinnings.

Good.

Match with pork rillettes or paté.

For more background on the history of Cahors wine and its three informal classifications (Tradition, Prestige and Speciale), see this excellent summary from Tom Cannavan on his wine-pages site.