2024 Clos la Coutale - Malbec Cahors (750ml)

Before Malbec conquered Argentina, it had a home: Cahors, in southwest France, where the grape earned the nickname "black wine" for its inky depth. Clos la Coutale has been one of Cahors' benchmark estates for six generations, and Kermit Lynch's go-to Cahors import for over forty years. The Bernède family farms 60 hectares on the terraces of the Lot Valley, alluvial soils of gravel and clay-limestone, blending roughly 80% Malbec with 20% Merlot for added suppleness, then aging 8 to 12 months in a mix of large oak foudres and used Bordeaux barrels so the wood seasons the wine rather than dominates it. Expect ripe blackberry, black cherry, and plum, backed by licorice, cracked black pepper, and subtle spice, full-bodied yet fresh, with firm, polished tannins and a long, savory finish. Authentic, age-worthy Cahors that consistently overdelivers for the price.