Malbec in Argentina

Argentina is the world’s leading producer of Malbec. With 42,999.30 hectares, Malbec represents 37.53% of the total red wine grape varieties (for winemaking) and 21.40% of the country’s total cultivated area. It is the variety that has increased the most in terms of planted area: from 2000 to the present, it has grown by 163% (equivalent to 26,653 ha), rising from 16,347 ha in 2000 to 42,999.30 ha today.

This European variety, after facing a crisis, arrived in Argentina and was planted extensively until it became the country’s flagship grape. An immigrant varietal that explored and adapted remarkably well to the terroirs of Argentina’s various wine regions.

Today, Malbec is unquestionably synonymous with Argentina. It is a prime example of a country achieving direct association with a varietal, rescuing it from obscurity, and setting a paradigm in the global wine scene. Thanks to the Argentine wine industry’s efforts, Malbec revealed its true potential: versatility, elegance, and opulence, becoming central to some of the boldest innovations over the past twenty years.

Argentina has a Controlled Designation of Origin (DOC) for Malbec in certain regions, protecting the name of the area and requiring producers to maintain high quality standards in their wines. Malbec Luján de Cuyo is the first DOC in the Americas.

MWD (Malbec World Day)

Malbec World Day is a global initiative created by Wines of Argentina that seeks to position Argentine Malbec internationally and celebrate the success of the national wine industry. This celebration is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship, the Argentine Investment and Trade Agency, and the Argentine Wine Corporation (COVIAR).

First celebrated on April 17, 2011, Malbec World Day has established itself as a historic event for wine promotion globally and is now part of the international celebration calendar. Every year, Wines of Argentina organizes a rich program of activities in major markets, alongside events organized by Argentine representations abroad and independent initiatives that place Malbec at the center of a worldwide toast.

Why is Malbec World Day celebrated on April 17?

Malbec originated in southwest France, where it was cultivated to produce wines known as “Cahors” after the region, recognized since Roman times. These wines consolidated in the Middle Ages and strengthened further in modern times.

Conquering the English market was decisive for the appreciation of this varietal in England and globally. By the late 19th century, the phylloxera plague devastated French viticulture, causing the “Côt” variety to fall into obscurity, although a culture of Malbec appreciation had already been established.

On this foundation, Argentine Malbec emerged some time later. The varietal arrived in Argentina in 1853 with the French agronomist Michel Aimé Pouget (1821–1875), who was hired by then-President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento to lead the direction of the Quinta Agronómica of Mendoza.

Following the French model, the initiative sought to introduce new grape varieties as a way to improve the national wine industry. On April 17, 1853, with the support of Mendoza Governor Pedro Pascual Segura, the project was presented to the Provincial Legislature to establish a Quinta Normal and an Agriculture School. The project was approved as law by the Chamber of Representatives on September 6 of the same year.

By the late 19th century, with the help of Italian and French immigrants, viticulture grew exponentially in Argentina, and so did Malbec, which quickly adapted to the country’s diverse terroirs, even outperforming its region of origin. Over time and with hard work, Malbec became the flagship grape of Argentina.

For Wines of Argentina, April 17 is not only a symbol of the transformation of Argentine viticulture but also the starting point for the development of Malbec, a varietal that has become an emblem of Argentina worldwide.