After the disappointing Chinon I was hoping for a French retribution in this bottle of Malbec from Cahors.  I love the structure of this region, where the wine is inky, tannic and not for the faint of palate.  I was not let down….Really dark in the glass- as expected.  Tar and graphite nose that were a telltale of what was coming, I was getting excited!  Stewed plum and blackberry compote on initial attack that were really interesting yet the wine was not as heavy as I expected, more fruity and uplifting.  Quite tannic as expected with a hint of acidity that rounded it out.  For the $16 I paid it was a decent effort worthy of 88 points and 3 stars.  I would drink it again without hesitation.  Salut….

To put the words Malbec and Cahors together in the title is a bit redundant.  The only wines allowed in the AOC are Malbecs, a minimum of 70% with either Tannat or Syrah allowed into the blend.  It is also known as the Black Wine, due to the style in this region.  Unlike Malbecs from Argentina, this style is much more tannic, less fruit forward and much more intense.  These are generally age worthy and backwards yet can offer much up  front pleasure if treated right.

This particular bottle costs about $15 and is a great starting point for those looking to explore Cahors.  As I mentioned earlier this wine was expected to be dark in the glass, no problem- it was black.  A funky nose of tar, black fruits and oak that kept rolling over and changing was intriguing.  Tannic and brooding with some juicy acidity, plums, cola, black cherry and creosote hit the palate in stages.  Some funky notes were interplayed and I noted that this wine is less fruity yet more structured than most, belying it’s heritage and style.  We ended up running it through an aerator to try and tame some of the tannins and to help blow off some of the funk, it worked.  The wine mellowed somewhat with some air time and was very approachable.  For me this is an 88 point wine and worthy of 3 stars.  If you try a Cahors, keep an aerator on hand just in case and perhaps pair it with some hearty fare.  Salut….