A serious, well-coordinated international celebration. Like an army strike, if that army just wanted you to drink good Malbec.
Malbec World Day is celebrated on April 17, to commemorate the day when president Domingo Faustino Sarmiento of Argentina officially made it his mission to transform Argentina's wine industry. On that day, back in 1853, he tasked Michel Aimé Pouget, a French soil expert, to bring over new vines. Amongst his selection, was Malbec. Pouget continued experimenting with the adaptation of French varietals to Argentina’s diverse terroirs. A decade later, France underwent a Phylloxera Plague that affected the Rhône region. The name, "Malbec World Day", translates (somewhat incorrectly) from the Spanish "Malbec Mondo" meaning "Malbec throughout the world". Somehow, the name stuck and continues to confuse English speakers to this day, as most just end up calling it "World Malbec Day", or "Malbec Mondo" for those who like the alliteration. In the mean time, Malbec flourished in Argentina creating wines widely superior to those of its country of origin. Many decades later, in 1956, France faced another obstacle: a freeze wiped out the majority of Malbec vineyards.
Malbec is the heart of our industry and continues to be our ambassador to the rest of the world.
Malbec integrates the DNA of Argentina and, moreover, tells its story. This variety is grown in all the wine regions of the country. 35% of the hectares planted in Argentina are Malbec and it represents 51% of sales abroad.
The phrase “superlative quality” has become a constant when referring to Argentine Malbec. Those who enjoy this grape stress its consistency.
Malbec, as an engine of winemaking, has become the centre of the most audacious innovations, giving a vigorous character to the vitiviniculture
of the country over the last twenty years.