Ep 599: The Grape Miniseries Refresh - Malbec

Ep 599: The Grape Miniseries Refresh - Malbec

Author: Elizabeth Schneider March 11, 2026 Duration: 58:38

This week I cover Malbec, or Côt as it's known in its native home of Southwest France. This old red grape variety has long history in France and was once one of its most planted grapes. But due to pickiness in the vineyard and harshness in the bottle, Malbec fell out of favor in its native country. Despite being a big component in the Bordeaux blend, the grape remained in relative obscurity until it hit South America, particularly Argentina. Although it wasn't an overnight success, Malbec hung around Argentina for about 150 years and then got its moment in the sun (literally). Today 75% of the world's Malbec grows in Argentina.


Photo: Malbec grape. Source: Getty Images via Canva

 

From a combination of factors and circumstances that worked perfectly for Malbec, the grape took on premium status in the 1990s in Argentina and rocketed into fame through the 2000s. It was then that Cahors, the native home of the grape changed some of its techniques to make its native grape shine in a different style. Others followed, but these two titans of the grape remain the best.

 

In the show I discuss the history of the grape, it's not so cooperative nature in the vineyard, the key to making good Malbec in the winery, and then I talk about the regions where it is grown, in detail. As always, I end with food pairings and producers.

 

 

Full show notes and all back episodes are on Patreon. Become a member today!

www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople

_______________________________________________________________

 

Check out my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access.  They have an amazing selection -- once you get hooked on their wines, they will be your go-to! 

 

To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth or get a class gift certificate for the wine lover in your life go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes

 

 


Elizabeth Schneider hosts Wine for Normal People, a podcast built on the idea that you can enjoy wine deeply without the pretension. It’s for anyone who finds the world of wine intriguing but is put off by the jargon and gatekeeping. Here, conversations about wine are just that-conversations. Elizabeth approaches topics with a fun and straightforward perspective, aiming to spark genuine excitement and help you discover more interesting bottles to enjoy. Roughly half of the episodes feature guests, but these aren’t formal interviews. Instead, they’re relaxed, educational discussions with passionate friends from the wine world, all people Elizabeth knows personally or through close connections. This creates a uniquely authentic and comfortable atmosphere, as if you’re listening in on a chat between friends who happen to know a lot about what’s in your glass. The focus is always on practical knowledge and shared enthusiasm, stripping away the snobbery to make wine feel accessible and endlessly fascinating. Tune into this podcast to hear honest talk about regions, grapes, and tasting, all designed to make your own journey with wine more rewarding and a lot more fun.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Wine for Normal People
Podcast Episodes
Ep 618: Back to Basics: Structure in Wine  Part 2 - Sugar & Alcohol [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:21
In last week's show (dorkfest part 1), we discussed two components of structure, acidity and tannin, and how they are like two sides of a picture frame, structure. In this episode (dorkfest part 2), I cover the other two…
Ep 617: Back to Basics: Structure in Wine  Part 1 - Acidity & Tannin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:06
This time it's Back to Basics -- describing two of the four main components that make up the structure of wine - Acidity & Tannin. It's both simple, and very dorky (I quote the NIH at one point, worth a listen!) In this…
Ep 616: The Greats – The Chenin Blancs of the Loire Valley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:14
Although the Loire Valley is most famous for the Sauvignon Blancs of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé (especially after Taylor Swift drove tons of people to buy Sancerre – thank you Taylor!), there is a white grape that has a l…
Ep 614: The Alto Piemonte -  Piedmont's Best Kept Secret [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:15
Although the best-known wines of Piemonte are in the south — in Alba, Roero, Cuneo, and Asti – there is a treasure trove of excellent Nebbiolo and Nebbiolo blends northeast of the famed Barolo and Barbaresco in the Langh…
Ep 613: The Grape Mini-Series Refresh -- Nebbiolo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:28
Nebbiolo is one of the oldest and finest red grapes of Italy. Native to Piemonte (Piedmont) in the northwest of the country, it was first mentioned and described by (my boyfriend) Pliny the Elder in the first century AD.…
Ep 611: Six MORE Alternatives to Expensive Wines [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:53
I said in episode 604 that if you wanted my other 6 suggestions, I would do a follow up show! You told me this is what you wanted, so this time I give you six MORE wine regions that make very expensive wines and then pro…