12 years ago

Talking Wine – March 2014

Malbec is heavily associated with rich Argentine wine despite the fact that some of us older folk still enjoy the Malbec of Cahors in southern France, its spiritual home. But I now read that wine makers in Argentina feel that the Cabernet Franc grape is the future even though at the moment only 500 hectares of this grape are planted. The lesser known of the two Cabernets should do really well in the high altitude regions of the Uco Valley and may well be blended with the better known Cabernet Sauvignon to give the wine more tannic structure and backbone. The research is being led by the Catena winery and is supported by Zuccardi so keep your eye out for future developments and try our current Cabernet Franc from Trapiche which when last tasted was stunningly good and not outrageously expensive.

Ted Sandbach

Ted studied History and Physical Education at Loughborough University before teaching at Magdalen College School in Oxford for 7 years. He gave up teaching to follow his passion for wine and cut his teeth at Stevens Garnier in Wine retail. During this time he travelled extensively and took his wine exams including the Diploma – which he will admit is much harder these days! Frustration and ambition prompted him to start The Oxford Hamper Company in 1985 which by 1992 had metamorphosed into The Oxford Wine Company.