Mission de Picpus Cahors Malbec Blend 2016
- Textured, savoury
- Cahors
This black malbec has a fascinating, visceral, just-fired rifle kind of flinty smokiness, underwritten boldly by piles of ripe red and black berries. Crushed sage and mint, a little warming doughiness. The palate is warming too, spicy and dense, with powerful tannins. It maintains a lightness of character thanks to all that bright fruit, but the mouthfeel is certainly as serious as you’d expect. Really lovely balance. Ideally have this with a side of cow.
Profile
Reviews
International Wine Challenge
“This is a beautiful example of Cahors with fresh black cherry and blackberry fruit. This is inky and wild with good structure under the flesh.”
It’s cool, we get it, you want to know absolutely everything about this wine. Well here you go, go nuts.
Specs
- Region
- Cahors
- Vintage
- 2016
- Cellaring
- 2030
- Preservatives
- Sulphites
- Alcohol by Vol.
- 14.0%
- Closure
- Cork
- Bottle Vol
- 750mL
- Blend Info
- 85% Malbec, 15% Merlot
- Serving Temp.
- 17.0°C
Tasting
From the producer
This beautifully graceful dry red is bursting with fruit and an earthy warmth. Deep flavours of blackberry and smoky liquorice make this the perfect partner for big flavours.
Winemaking
Viticulture
The Valley where limestone and clay are dominant and The Cause where the soils are predominantly calcareous. Subject to the Mediterranean and continental influences with moderate rainfall.
Crafting
Maceration from 20 to 25 days and post fermentation carried out at 25ÂşC-26ÂşC. Fermentation with specific yeasts. 2 pump-overs on grounds 1.5 times the volume of the tank. Brewing of lees. Ageing: stainless steel and concrete vats. This wine is lightly oaked.
Region
Cahors
Cahors is a town just east of Bordeaux, and is synonymous with malbec, known as 'black wine' for self-evident reasons when you've got a glass in front of you. The inky, beefy nature of malbec – known locally as 'côt' – meant it was historically used to prop up some lighter Bordeaux wines. As one of our mofos, Hugh, who lived there for 10 years, pointed out, the region straddles the Lot, Tarn and Garonne Departments of France, and it's one of the wine world’s better kept secrets. Under appellation rules, Cahors must be 85% malbec, while the balance can be syrah or other varieties, but ALL must be grown in the region. Hugh says he misses their great wine enormously. But here's one right here. So here's one for you, Hugh. Cheers!
The rules are there ain’t no rules, but here are some foods we think will work pretty well with this wine...
Goes with
Veal schnitzel with coleslaw
Ingredients
- 50g (1/3 cup) plain flour
- 1 egg
- 2 tbs milk
- 50g (1 cup) panko breadcrumbs
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh continental parsley
- 8 (about 75g each) veal loin medallions
- Olive oil spray
- 4 cups finely shredded savoy cabbage
- 1/2 small red onion, halved, thinly sliced
- 1 Granny Smith apple, cored, cut into matchsticks
- 2 tbs currants
- 60ml (1/4 cup) buttermilk
- 2 tbs low-fat mayonnaise
- 1 tbs salted baby capers, rinsed, drained, coarsely chopped
- Lemon wedges, to serve
Directions
- Place the flour on a large plate. Whisk the egg and milk in a bowl until combined. Combine the breadcrumbs and half the parsley in a separate bowl. Coat a piece of veal in the flour and shake off any excess. Dip in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing firmly to coat. Place the veal on a plate. Repeat with the remaining veal, flour, egg mixture and breadcrumb mixture.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Spray with oil. Cook half the veal for 4 minutes each side or until golden brown (spray the pan with oil halfway through cooking, if necessary). Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat with the remaining veal, reheating the pan between batches.
- Meanwhile, combine cabbage, onion, apple, currants and remaining parsley in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk, mayonnaise and caper in a bowl until well combined. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture. Toss to combine.
- Divide the veal and coleslaw among serving plates. Serve with lemon wedges.