Known for its big, bold flavors and supple texture, Malbec is most famous for its runaway success in?Argentina. However, the variety actually originated in?Bordeaux, where it historically contributed color and tannin to blends. After being nearly wiped out by a devastating frost in 1956, it was never significantly replanted, although it continued to flourish under the name C?t in nearby?Cahors. A French agronomist who saw great potential for the variety in?Mendoza?s?hot, high-altitude landscape, brought Malbec to Argentina in 1868. But it did not gain its current reputation as the country's national grape until a surge in popularity in the late 20th century.
