Purple Malbec, Chateau Lagrezette, Cahors

They have been growing and making Malbec wines at Chateau Lagrezette since the 15th Century. When Alain Dominique Perrin took over the Chateau in 1980 it had been forgotten since the 1930s. Alain spent 12 years restoring the Chateau and re-activating the vineyard and winery. In 1989, world-renowned winemaker Michel Rolland became the Wine Consultant for the estate. His influence is evident in the Malbecs from the Chateau – rich, concentrated, fruit forward wines that gain complexity as you scale the range of wines. Cahors is the original home of Malbec and at Chateau Lagrezette they now understand the vineyard conditions that the grape prefers. They have replaced the hybrid rootstocks planted after the phylloxera epidemic with original Malbec rootstocks. Despite the power of the finished wine, Malbec has delicate skin and does not like high humidity. Therefore particular attention is paid to vineyard ventilation and canopy management and harvest is by hand – often as late as October.