We are delighted to inform you that The Proprietor Malbec, our premier wine, is once again available. The 2016 vintage is among the most anticipated releases from our Reserve collection to date.
This wine pays tribute to the late Niel Joubert – a man of vision, determination, integrity, charm, and a true gentleman. Always released in very limited quantities, our Malbec is a full-bodied opulent wine, ideal for a special occasion.
Malbec is one of the six grape varieties permitted in a red Bordeaux Blend (the other five being Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Carmenère). Over the years it has been grown in many parts of France, but plantations are now found primarily in Cahors in South West France, where it is also known as Côt or Auxerrois.
Malbec is synonymous with Argentina, where it takes up 75% of their vineyards and is considered their most important grape. While Malbec originated in France, the Argentinian Malbec is the most celebrated.
Other countries with plantings of Malbec include Chile, Australia, USA and New Zealand. In South Africa, it contributes a mere 0.82% of our total vineyard plantings.
One thing that sets Malbec apart is its ability to adapt to its environment. This attribute allows it to express the unique characteristics of its terroir in the bottle.
One of Malbec’s classic “tells” is the wine’s bright magenta rim and opaque purple color. It produces fruity wines with medium tannin and acidity levels and flavours of cassis, mulberries, plums, prunes, black cherries, sweet tobacco, cocoa and pronounced spicy elements.
Due to its full-bodied nature, it pairs well with full-flavoured foods. However, unlike Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine does not have a long finish or aggressive tannins. Therefore, it will pair nicely with leaner cuts of red meat, turkey or roasted pork. It also pairs deliciously with pepper, sage, creamy mushroom sauces, roasted vegetables and melted cheese.
TASTING NOTES
A special wine deserves a special mention. We asked Cape Wine Master Raymond Noppé for his opinion, and he had the following to say:
“The Niel Joubert Proprietor Malbec 2016 displays a beautiful opaque crimson hue. It has been a long time since I’ve tasted a wine with such intense spicy aromas and flavours. The nose is dominated by complex notes of cloves, black & white pepper, cumin, vanilla and cinnamon. The wine’s aromatic profile is further enhanced by concentrated scents of dried pear, dates, christmas cake, red plums and mulberries.
Many of these aromas follow through on the palate, where you are greeted with layered flavours of cloves, cinnamon, wild red berries and a distinctive earthy character. The medium acidity and fine, gentle tannins are perfectly balanced against the wine’s complex fruit spectrum.
I love the wine’s finish – while it is distinctly dry, there are notes of sweet tobacco, English toffee, and dark caramel sauce to coat those delicious layers of red fruits.
My opinion is that the opulent spicy elements in this wine will pair perfectly with the spicy nature of North African cuisine – think Moroccan lamb stew with roasted vegetables!
This Malbec is distinctly different from many of the Argentinian examples I’ve had the pleasure of tasting in my career. They tend to be more concentrated and rich, with very chunky black and dark fruits, less spice and firmer tannins. The Proprietor Malbec is a touch lighter, lends more towards the red fruit spectrum and its intensely satisfying spicy notes are a true testament to the fact that Malbec adapts to the environment where it is planted.
I rate this wine a very, very respectable 94/100 points, and the beautifully designed gift box it is packaged in, makes it the perfect gift for any wine lover’s collection!”