[1] A glass of Malbec in the specially designed Riedel Malbec glass. Photo courtesy Riedel.

[2] Malbec often has notes of blackberries, blueberries and plums (photo © Alex 9500 | Panther Media).

[3] Look for Altos Las Hormigas Malbecs, a favorite of our wine editor (photo © Altos Las Hormigas).

[4] The quirky label of another favorite Malbec, Tinto Negro (photo © Tinto Negro).

[5] Go casual, with a burger, pizza or sandwich (photo © Michael Mina).

[6] Go fancy, with a rack of lamb or a good steak (photo © DeLallo).

Celebrated on April 17th, Malbec World Day (not World Malbec Day) is the perfect opportunity to open up a bottle of the wine that is Argentina’s claim to varietal fame.

Malbec is a purple grape that produces red wine that’s a deep purple-red in color and nearly opaque, similar to Syrah and Mourvedre.

The original Malbec rootstock came from France, where it was widely planted in the Cahors region in the Midi-Pyrénées region of south-central France.

The first records of the varietal date to the 16th century. when it was known as Auxerrois. The name Malbec was introduced at some point in the 1780s, likely because a Monsieur Malbeck planted it in Bordeaux [source].

It was also planted in the Loire Valley of central France, and in California. But Argentina now has 75% of the world’s Malbec acreage.

Below:

> Malbec from Argentina vs. France.

> Price ranges and three favorite Malbecs.

> Pairing Malbec and food.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

More on the history of Malbec.

> 5 red wines for warm weather.

> The history of wine.

> The year’s 25 red wine holidays.

> The year’s 22 white wine holidays.
 
 
ARGENTINE MALBEC

Argentine Malbec is very different from its French parent. As is true among all wine grapes (and some other crops), planting the same vines in different terroirs* yield different results.

 
Malbec World Day commemorates April 17, 1853, when President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento of Argentina launched a mission to transform Argentina’s wine industry. To start that endeavor, a French soil expert bought grape varietals from France, one of which was Malbec.

During the experiment period, which planted different wines in different terroirs*, Malbec proved to be a star. It flourished in the Mendoza region of Argentina, in the northwest part of the country at the foothills of the Andes Mountains.
 
 
MALBEC IS A WELL-PRICED RED WINE

As a result of the volume produced and the economics of wine production in Argentina, Malbec also proved to be a bargain. It’s a well-priced alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon. You can find many good Malbecs for $10 a bottle or less.

You can also find bottles at twice that price, and even pricier—for example, $95 for a bottle of Cheval des Andes, a joint venture between Bordeaux’s great Chateau Cheval Blanc and Argentina’s Terrazas de los Andes.

 
Three Favorite Malbecs From Argentina

Our wine editor, Kris Prasad, has a fondness for Altos Las Hormigas and Alamos (photo #3—one of the wines can have some Syrah added, depending on the vintage).

Both can be found for $10 or less, although special bottlings (e.g., certain vineyards) cost more.

He also likes Tinto Negro “Limestock Block,” pricier at around $15. He calls it an “interesting wine”; it is two-thirds Malbec.

We haven’t had it, but we do love the label, with part of the name spelled backwards (photo #4).

And $10? Can’t beat that for a good wine.
 
 
PAIRING MALBEC WITH FOOD

Steak—of which Argentina has a bounty—is a classic pairing (give us a T-bone, please!).

But Malbec is much more flexible than a pairing with steak. Try it with:

Herbs and alliums: rosemary, sage, and shallot.

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*About terroir: The same rootstock that is grown in different locations produces different flavors; for example, depending on where it is grown, Sauvignon Blanc can have grass or grapefruit notes—or neither. Terroir, pronounced tur-WAH, is a French agricultural term referring to the unique set of environmental factors in a specific habitat that affect a crop’s qualities. It includes climate, elevation, proximity to a body of water, slant of the land, soil type and amount of sun. These environmental characteristics gives the wine its character. Terroir is the basis of the French A.O.C. (appellation d’origine contrôlée) system.
 

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Top: A Swordfish-Ravioli Stack with Mexican garnishes. Photo courtesy Chef Eric LeVine. Center: Canned San Marzano tomatoes. Bottom: Chef LeVine’s delectable cookbook; photo courtesy Lyons Press.

Today’s tip is that it’s easy to be creative in food preparation. Start with a first course/appetizer/starter (use the word of your choice).

This recipe may look complicated, but putting it together is easy. The hard part was thinking it up, and that was done by Chef Eric LeVine, Food Network Chopped Champion and ICA* Chef Of The Year.

He used Mexican seasonings, so think of serving a mini Margarita (in shot glasses or other small glasses) with the course.

Chef Eric is also author of Small Bites Big Flavor: Simple, Savory, And Sophisticated Recipes For Entertaining. He wrote it for the home cook who wants to make imaginative and fun dishes. It’s a great start on a path to cooking more creative food.

We’ve created our own version of his recipe.

 
RECIPE: TEQUILA-LIME SWORDFISH & RAVIOLI STACKS.

Ingredients

 
For The Marinade

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the marinade and marinate the swordfish steaks for 30 to 40 minutes, covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge. Use a glass or ceramic dish to marinate, or plastic storage bags. While the swordfish marinates, cook the ravioli.

2. BRING a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add a tablespoon of olive oil to keep the ravioli from sticking. Add the ravioli and stir constantly for 5 minutes, taking care not to break the ravioli. Cook to al dente, since you’ll be reheating it before serving. Remove the ravioli one-by-one with a slotted spoon and place, not touching, on a microwavable baking sheet, tray, or in a glass baking dish. Cover with foil and set aside.

3. MAKE the sauce: Combine the tomatoes and seasonings and blend thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

4. GRILL the swordfish over medium heat to desired doneness, 10 to 12 for medium (we like ours medium rare). Cut into pieces. We cut 6-ounce swordfish steaks into 3 pieces for a portion size of 2 stacks. You may wish to serve only one stack.

5. MICROWAVE the ravioli and the sauce briefly to warm them.

6. ASSEMBLE the stacks. Place a small pool of sauce on the plate, topped with a piece of swordfish, a ravioli, and a garnish of guacamole and pico de gallo. Add the lime wedge and serve.

 
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*The International Caterers Association
 
  

Western broccoli was not available in China, and for a long time Chinese broccoli, kai-lan, was not available in the U.S. Thus, Beef & Broccoli is “American Chinese,” or known in the U.S. simply as Chinese food.
 
RECIPE: BEEF & BROCCOLI PIZZA

IngredientsFor 6 Servings

 
Side Dish

 
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*We had fresh ginger root on hand, so substituted very thin slices of it for the dried ground ginger. Instead of mixing it in, as in step 2 below, we added it to the broccoli stir-fry.

Top: Italy, meet China in this fusion dish. Photo of Beef & Broccoli Pizza courtesy McCormick. Bottom: Chinese broccoli, kai-lan, is a different species with leafy tops instead of florets. Photo courtesy Jing Fong Restaurant | NYC.

Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 450°F. Place the pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread the tomato sauce over the crust; then sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the mozzarella. Set aside.

2. MIX the water, soy sauce, cornstarch, ginger and garlic powder in small bowl until smooth. Set aside.

3. HEAT the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef; stir fry 3 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove the beef from the skillet.

4. ADD the broccoli to the skillet; stir-fry for 3 minutes or until tender-crisp. Return the beef to the skillet. Stir the soy sauce mixture and add it to the skillet. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 1 minute, or until slightly thickened.

5. SPOON the stir-fried beef and broccoli evenly onto the pizza crust with a slotted spoon. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup of mozzarella. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. While the pizza bakes…

6. TOAST the sesame seeds for much more exciting flavor. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sesame seeds; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant. Immediately remove seeds from the hot pan to avoid over-toasting.

7. SPRINKLE the pizza with the sesame seeds and serve.
 
VARIATIONS

Just as cooks in China don’t use American broccoli, cooks in Italy don’t make American-style Italian Dressing.

Italian dressing is a vinaigrette with minced bell peppers; herbs including dill, fennel and oregano, plus sugar or corn syrup and a touch of salt. Minced onion and garlic, fresh are dried, can be added for more layers of flavor.

It is often bought bottled, or prepared by mixing oil and vinegar with a packaged flavoring mix consisting of dehydrated vegetables and herbs.

American-style Italian dressing is believed to date back to the Wishbone Restaurant in Kansas City, MO, in 1948. The recipe was based on the owners’ family recipe from Sicily, which combined oil, vinegar, herbs and spices.

Demand for the salad dressing proved so great that the owners started a separate business to produce it commercially. The brand was eventually purchased by Lipton and and is currently made by Pinnacle Foods. [Source]

This dressing can be prepared a day ahead, covered and refrigerated.
 
Ingredients For 1/2 cup

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the ingredients in small bowl and whisk to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. DRESS your favorite green salad.
 
The difference between homemade and Wish-Bone:
Wish-Bone Ingredients: WATER, DISTILLED VINEGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, SUGAR, SALT, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF EACH OF THE FOLLOWING: GARLIC*, ONION*,RED BELL PEPPERS*, XANTHAN GUM, SPICES, SORBIC ACID AND CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (USED TO PROTECT QUALITY), DL ALPHA TOCOPHERYL ACETATE (VITAMIN E),REB A (PURIFIED STEVIA EXTRACT), LEMON JUICE CONCENTRATE, CARAMEL COLOR, MALTODEXTRIN (CORN), MODIFIED CORN STARCH. *DEHYDRATED