If you need a bottle of wine to fully reorganize your brain on the subject of: what is Malbec?—look no further than Valérie Courreges’ stunning ‘Art and Materials,’ drawn from one of her estate, special single plots, this one of selection massale vines planted in 1971. Valerie’s vineyards are in the elevated plateaus of the Cahors appellation in the southwest of France, specifically located in the commune of Sauzet — the parcel is on a stony red clay soil, rich in iron, manganese, and mica; all on top of Jurassic limestone bedrock. The results of Valerie’s winemaking prowess and stunning vines (her art and the materials) is a profound bottle of single-vineyard Cahors, full of violet, subtle incense, cool purple tones, and energy on the palate. Special wine; allow it to unfurl over hours, and certainly have it with dinner.
