April 17 marks Malbec World Day, a celebration of the bold, velvety red grape that found new life in Argentina and went on to captivate wine lovers around the globe.

If you thought April 17 this year was going to be just another Thursday, think again — it’s Malbec World Day, an annual celebration of the red grape that became Argentina’s calling card to the global wine stage.

Why this date? Well, it was on April 17, 1853, that Domingo Faustino Sarmiento — then the governor of Mendoza and later President of Argentina — made it his mission to develop a national wine industry. To do that, he enlisted French agronomist Michel Aimé Pouget to bring European vine cuttings to Argentina. Among them was Malbec, a Bordeaux blending grape that would go on to become Argentina’s most iconic varietal.

Originally valued in France for its deep colour and bold character, Malbec had fallen out of favour by the mid-20th century. A devastating frost in 1956 wiped out many Malbec vineyards in Bordeaux, prompting growers to replace it with hardier grapes like Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

A FAVOURABLE NEW HOME

But in Argentina, Malbec had taken root — quite literally — in high-altitude regions such as Mendoza, where it flourished. With smaller berries, tighter clusters, and naturally lower yields, Argentine Malbec developed a distinctive profile: deep, inky colour, lush dark fruit flavours, and smooth, velvety tannins. These qualities made it instantly approachable while still offering aging potential that delighted collectors and sommeliers alike.

Still, Malbec’s success story wasn’t immediate. Throughout much of the 20th century, Argentine wineries focused on high-volume, low-quality production, favouring grapes like Cereza and Criolla Grande. But by the 1990s, the country’s winemakers began shifting their focus to quality and export potential — and Malbec led the charge.

The results were nothing short of transformative. Argentine Malbec won over critics and consumers alike, particularly in North America, where it became one of the most popular imported red wines. Today, Malbec is the most widely planted red grape in Argentina, and while Mendoza remains its heartland, other regions such as Salta, La Rioja, and Patagonia also produce distinctive and increasingly acclaimed expressions of the varietal.

If your palate gravitates to big, fruit-driven red wines (read Australian Shiraz styles), you will doubtlessly enjoy many of the flagship Malbecs from Argentina. They tend to be plump, dense, and tannic and full of rich, bold and spicy flavours dominated by dark berries (mulberries and blackberries). In addition, they are full-bodied with a powerful long finish and often obvious oak flavours. Many value-for-money Malbecs are made for easy drinking and early consumption while the higher priced ones are often bottled for cellaring for up to 10 years.

Fortunately, there are many excellent Malbecs available in Malaysia at very approachable price points (along with some splashier and more costly bottles, too). This varietal yields a versatile red wine and pairs well with a range of diverse dishes from spicy Moroccan to traditional Italian, along with Asian food, oxtail soup, sticky barbecued beef or pork ribs, Chinese-style ribs, beer-braised beef, chicken wings, and grilled chicken. Malbec should be served at 14-15°C which means a little chilling before serving.

MALBEC WORLD DAY

To honour the grape’s journey, Wines of Argentina officially established Malbec World Day in 2011. The aim? To celebrate Malbec not just as a varietal, but as a symbol of Argentina’s emergence as a global wine leader. And it’s worked: Malbec is now as closely tied to Argentina as Pinot Noir is to Burgundy or Shiraz to Australia.

So, what better way to mark the day than by opening a bottle of Argentine Malbec? Whether you’re discovering it for the first time or revisiting an old favourite, this is the perfect time to raise a glass to a grape that was nearly forgotten — and to the country that gave it a second life.