It is amazing to think that just a few years ago Malbec was for Cahors (a region in S.W. France), a blending variety in Bordeaux, certainly not solus, and a bulk variety for Argentina. Now it is a significant force in the UK wine market and arguably has become its own category, alongside Shiraz, Sauvignon and Prosecco.
According to the Liberty Wines Premium on-trade report Malbec has grown by a massive 47.6% in premium restaurants (Pinot noir by 1.7%), a sector that this report identifies as 22% of the market.
Argentina, as a whole, has 5% of the total Premium on-trade market in 2015.
Premium outlets according to CGA, who conducted this report for Liberty, make up 57% of case sales and 63% in sales, so they sell more expensive wines much more often. They are hotels, gastropubs, hotels and wine bars.
Go into any regular (i.e. not premium) bar, restaurant, pub and Malbec is a dead cert to be listed there. For many customers it has become a knowable. Overall, in 2015 it has 2.9% of the market according to Euromonitor.
What is interesting is that because of the continuity of style then consumers are coming to rely on it and pay more money for it.
This has not been lost on The Cadeby in S. Yorkshire. A high end ‘gastro-pub’, it has recently added ‘El Camino de Malbec’ or ‘The Walk of Malbec’.
El Camino consists of 6 Malbecs taken from the various different regions of Argentina. With 21 different classified regions in Argentina then the buyer has plenty to choose from.
From the juicy Kaleu San Martin Malbec to the award winning Los Haroldos Uco Valley Malbec to the intense premium Algodon Old Vine from San Rafael this list is for the Malbec lover or the red wine lover. Either is going to be in heaven with something meaty off the Cadeby menu.
This innovation created with the help of Helen from Argentinian managed importer Condor Wines, demonstrates the amazing resources that you have at your finger tips, if you just think outside the box. Later in Autumn Condor are wheeling in the Los Haroldos winemaker for a special dinner and feature evening – thank you very much!
Speaking with General Manager Ian Allgood, he said that the owner, Gordon Jones and he were looking for something different that could spark the interests of their customers. Red wine was popular and Malbec had become a drink of choice for many, so they wanted to explore different styles and give customers the trade-up options.
With approximately 20-25% of drinks turnover going on wine, then these mini features become a pretty important part of the Cadeby’s business and spread the reasons to visit for a consumer.
The adventurous take on this deep, dark and thick skinned variety, may well become the norm in coming months and years as consumers begin to recognise more styles and more producers.
The point about this for the wine list creator is that there is always an innovation to create that can intrigue customers that in turn can inspire new business and more customer visits. Importers have specialisms and knowledge that, crafted in the right way, can create customer winning features to your list. M is for Malbec, C is for customer and P is for Profit!
Alistair Morrell
Hospitality & Catering News, Wine Content Executive