WTN /Wine Advisor: Is it French, or is it Argentine?

[Robin Garr]

Is it French, or is it Argentine?

Here's an unusual marketing move: I picked up a wine the other day with a front label so basic that it provides no clue of its national origin.

"Zette 2003 Malbec" it reads, with the U.S. importer's logo stamped off center at the lower right.

Malbec? It must be Argentine, right? As we've often discussed, the Argentines have taken this ancient French grape and made it their own. But not so fast, bucko: this is a French wine from Cahors (where Malbec has long been the dominant grape), but you have to turn the bottle around to find that out: "Appellation Cahors Controllée" in very small print on the back is the only geographical giveaway.

The label goes on: "Terroir, meticulous care in the vineyard and cellar, plus 12 months aged in small oak casks combine to give you Zette - a modern Malbec with lush fruit flavors, medium body and notes of spice."

This makes me wary, very wary. A French firm that consciously omits its origin from the main label in the apparent hope of making you think the wine is Argentine does not inspire confidence. Nor does the back label, where "modern" and the references to oak and lush fruit are almost a sure sign of an international-style wine that despite the use of the trendy term "terroir" strikes me as unlikely to pay much homage to the Cahors region's centuries-old tradition.

Still, I'll approach it with an open mind. What did I find? Pretty much as I expected. This is one of those wines that divides wine lovers into competing camps. Some will like its fruit-forward, oaky style, but I'd prefer something that speaks a little more of the earth as well as the fruit.

Zette 2003 Cahors Malbec ($12.99)

Inky dark reddish-violet with a clear garnet edge. Forward, plummy fruit and a significant whack of spicy oak on the nose. Oak actually dominates simple black fruit on the palate, with good acidity, warm 14% alcohol and astringent tannins joining the chorus. Made by Chateau Lagrazette, a producer known for more traditional Cahors in its higher-priced wines, it's international in style all right ... but not the style of Malbec that I enjoy. U.S. importer: Frederick Wildman & Sons Ltd., NYC. (Nov. 11, 2008)

FOOD MATCH: I chose a simplified variation on Seekh Kebab, curried lamb meatballs. It was a surprisingly fetching match between strong flavors on the plate and a bold wine.

VALUE: If you like the fruit-forward style, you'll have no complaints about this low-teens price.

WHEN TO DRINK: It won't fade in the near future, but I don't see it improving with further age.

WEB LINK:
The winery Website is published in French and English. Celebrating "500 years of Malbec tradition," it does not, as far as I can tell, mention the "Zette."
http://www.chateau-lagrezette.tm.fr

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Find vendors and compare prices for Zette Cahors on Wine-Searcher.com:
http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/Zette ... g_site=WLP

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My experience is that if you want decent Cahors you have to pay for it. Have never had one to swoon over at that price point.

Without wanting to depress people too much, this wine is one of several signs of the abundance of 'terror' rather than 'terroir' in many French vineyards at present. They are desperately trying to claw back and if possible increase market share on export markets to combat the dramatically falling sales at home in France. Seeing the onward march of New World wine areas, and knowing that in particular, marketing expertise is one of their weaknesses, some French producers with the budget/means (and perhaps without much terroir or reputation) will try to emulate their New World counterparts. (It reminds me of a legal battle a couple of years ago of a Languedoc Vin de Pays producer that wanted to market its wine as Shiraz rather than Syrah in the UK - they had to get a law changed to do it).

Wasn't there an excellent thread somewhere on this forum about the Malbec encounter in Cahors in which Argentine and Cahors producers collaborated? Perhaps that inspired this wine.

However, a simple Cahors still available from the heatwave year 2003 would make me wary too.

Here's an unusual marketing move: I picked up a wine the other day with a front label so basic that it provides no clue of its national origin.

I don't think that it is that unusual, at least not here in UK. Increasingly wines have an eye-catching minimalist front label.

This makes me wary, very wary. A French firm that consciously omits its origin from the main label in the apparent hope of making you think the wine is Argentine does not inspire confidence.

There is only an advantage to putting an origin on the front label when that origin has some cachet, but how many ordinary consumers have even heard of Cahors?

The owner of Domaine de Lagrezette, Alain Dominique Perrin, writes about Varietal naming as opposed Origin naming in his blog -

"Throughout the world, consumers are buying grape varieties. The market rings with the names of "grape varieties" and not "appellations”. And yet we had to wait until 2005 for a European directive to allow us finally to put the word "Malbec" on our bottles. Until then, the regulation that I opposed prohibited us from mentioning this on the label… And Cahors, believe me, is a very awkward name to bear internationally. It is impossible for an American to pronounce and nobody knows where it is! As if by magic, once I placed my wines under the standard of Malbec, our sales took off, and we gained ground… Finally, we can address consumers worldwide and speak their language".

and regarding the centuries old tradition of Cahors, "Frankly, we're not overly thrilled with the strategy of some of our colleagues, who promote Cahors as a "black wine". We prefer to emphasize the finesse and subtlety of our wines"

Having read his blog I am of the opinion he is passionate about Malbec, and if he wants to get away from the old grim Cahors of yore, then I salute him.


and he also says

" I do not have much faith in that very French distinction of the AOC wines, I remain convinced that French wines will again find their place in the world because of the ever finer quality of our yield."

As for Zette wines, it appears it is a label especially for the US market

"Domaine de Lagrézette is proud to report that ZETTE has been making waves in the US since it burst on the scene last spring.

With ZETTE, the centuries old "black grape of Cahors" is propelled into the new millennium.


Movers and shakers in the worlds of art, design, fashion, and downtown culture have taken to ZETTE's edgy look (designed by Kevin Shaw of the award-winning UK firm, Stranger and Stranger) and versatility. Shaw's sleek ads have been running in the hippest publications, thus attracting the attention of urban scene setters. Reminiscent of Le Pigeonnier but with an attractive price tag, ZETTE is accessible luxury.

The Zette website is at http://www.whereiszette.com

The blog is at http://www.blog-lagrezette-malbec.com

[Robin Garr]

As for Zette wines, it appears it is a label especially for the US market

Perhaps so. I'll stand on my original observation: It is a somewhat horrifying wine, and the scheme of "hiding" its origin strikes me as a very unusual thing for a French producer to do.

[David M. Bueker]

Robin,

The general consumer does not know Cahors from a hole in the wall. Why would they advertise it on the front label?

[Robin Garr]

Robin,

The general consumer does not know Cahors from a hole in the wall. Why would they advertise it on the front label?

Because they're French?

Look, I didn't say it was wrong, exactly. But I think it's the only Cahors I ever saw that did not have the appellation on the label. It sure looked to me as if it was a "stealth" label meant to lure folks looking for Argentine Malbec. It was also an overoaked fruit bomb (and, by the way, a 2003), but that's another story.

It sure looked to me as if it was a "stealth" label meant to lure folks looking for Argentine Malbec. It was also an overoaked fruit bomb (and, by the way, a 2003), but that's another story.

Alas, many Argentine malbecs I taste these days are overmatured fruit bombs, so this market-driven attempt to imitate your average Argentine malbec may not be so far off. Of course, there are wonderful Argentine malbecs, but that's another story.

This makes me wary, very wary. A French firm that consciously omits its origin from the main label in the apparent hope of making you think the wine is Argentine does not inspire confidence.

There is only an advantage to putting an origin on the front label when that origin has some cachet, but how many ordinary consumers have even heard of Cahors?

This reference to the "ordinary consumer" is the ultimate argument in favour of dumbing down, Peter. Cahors is an appellation, which had been allowed to fall into disrepute, with a glorious past and very original typicity, quite different from Argentinian Malbec. Everyone with some wine savvy should know about this and support the present attempt at resurrection which at a higher quality level necessitates re-validating the name Cahors.

There is coarsely a two pronged strategy; to re-enter the top fine wine category with their best wines by, inter alia, developing a cru system and to reach mass markets by cuvées promoted by use of the brand Malbec. Like many others, I find the slogan "Black Wine" quite a turn-off.

Those who have tasted the best offerings of, say, Château du Cèdre should be in no doubt that the top quality potential is there and at more modest price levels there is very good and typical Cahors being offered by the numerous likes of Ch. Haut-Montplaisir.

Frankly I am sceptical about Ch. de Lagrézette. I noticed that they did not seem to participate actively in the International Malbec Days in April though they no doubt benefited commercially by the proximity of their shop to the Pont Valentré. I have so far found that their offerings are rather internationally creamy and woody but will take another look through the bottles I bought (not their top cuvée Dme d'Honneur which goes for around €85!!); my impression up to now is that I would have a hard time spotting them as Cahors. I am not surprised that they are launching a frankly varietal cuvée designed for "American taste" and I should be thankful that they hide as far as possible the word "Cahors" because, from Robin's description, the wine has none of the distinguishing features associated with the appellation.

This reference to the "ordinary consumer" is the ultimate argument in favour of dumbing down, Peter. Cahors is an appellation, which had been allowed to fall into disrepute, with a glorious past and very original typicity, quite different from Argentinian Malbec. Everyone with some wine savvy should know about this and support the present attempt at resurrection which at a higher quality level necessitates re-validating the name Cahors.

Dumbing down, Tim?? Look at the wineshelves!! Why should this producer be hobbled in his attempts to compete aginst others in the same £6 price range. It's not some sort of holy crusade, it's marketing and business.

The ordinary consumer doesn't have wine savvy. They want to know the variety. Putting Cahors on the front label means nothing to the ordinary consumer. And lets not forget that the Appellation Cahors Controllee is on the other 'back' label.

There is coarsely a two pronged strategy; to re-enter the top fine wine category with their best wines by, inter alia, developing a cru system and to reach mass markets by cuvées promoted by use of the brand Malbec. .

What is coarse about that. Don't Penfolds have a £100 wine and a £6 wine, don't Mouton Rothschild also market Cadet?

In the not too distant past we've had some nice Cohors in the $20 U.S. price range, but never at the $10 U.S. price point.

Dumbing down, Tim?? Look at the wineshelves!! Why should this producer be hobbled in his attempts to compete aginst others in the same £6 price range. It's not some sort of holy crusade, it's marketing and business.

The ordinary consumer doesn't have wine savvy. They want to know the variety. Putting Cahors on the front label means nothing to the ordinary consumer. And lets not forget that the Appellation Cahors Controllee is on the other 'back' label.

I hope that I have understood you wrongly but you seem to be suggesting that "Appellation Cahors Contrôlée" has no place on any front label because the "average consumer" doesn't understand it. If that is not "dumbing down", I don't know what is. On any but a mass market brand, I think that Cahors producers would be making a big mistake not promote the distinctiveness of their appellation's wines and the name Cahors will help in this. On wines with such Cahors distinctiveness, using the brand "Malbec" as main marketing tool will actually confuse the "average consumer" because the flavour profile is quite unlike that of the Argentinian brand leader.

What is coarse about that. Don't Penfolds have a £100 wine and a £6 wine, don't Mouton Rothschild also market Cadet?

"Coarsely" refers to my description, of course. If you read the notes which I wrote after the International Malbec Days, you will see that there was rather more to it than the coarse description in my post above.

A bit of perspective: I think it might have been six years ago (not much longer) that Georges Vigouroux put out a rosé and used the "Malbec" varietal name on the label. At the time, we feared for his safety: "Malbec" was not a word used in Cahors. The grape was called "Cot" or maybe "Auxerrois," and for anyone to suggest otherwise was heresy. By 2007, Cahors wines were showing up on US shelves with a back label that said "Malbec from France" complete with a map locating Cahors for the edification of the purchaser.

If a French producer wants to go bottom-fishing in the US market with a varietally labeled wine, what's the big deal? People who reach for "Zette" Malbec are unlikely to reach for AOC Cahors. The producer knows that, you know that, I know that. No mystery, and no evil agendas. If anything, let us root for a French producer willing to mix it up with the likes of Catena down at the lower end of the market. Where is it graven in stone that only the Argentines may produce least-common-denominator Malbec?

"Domaine de Lagrézette is proud to report that ZETTE has been making waves in the US since it burst on the scene last spring.

Making waves?

Burst on the scene?

Small waves, if so. And I never heard the burst.

Of course, if they were selling "0" before, any increase would be great, I suppose.

I am of the opinion that anyone can sell their wines any way they wish---as long as they are honest, natch.

If M. Perrin chooses flashy labels and selling the varietal name rather than an AOC...well, that's his choice, isn't it? He is obviously approaching his wines as a business enterprise, and that's how he selected his "go to market" strategy. More power to him if his plan works.

Robin, I think you're being a bit fustian in criticizing Perrin for choosing to sell "Malbec" rather than "Cahors". There was no attempt to deceive you: you were being offered a Malbec at an attractive price. Now, if they'd been trying to sell you a Cahors when the wine wasn't from there, or didn't follow the AOC, then you'd have a gripe. As it is, your sense of tradition has been pricked. Guess what: traditions change.

Guess what: traditions change.

Quite so. Some traditions are good in whole or part. Others are bad enough to deserve to be ditched. The problem for an area like Cahors and for a firm like Château Lagrézette is that the relationship is likely to be quite schizophrenic between the revival of the good tradition of making distinctive fine wine on the one hand and the riding on the wave of the "Malbec" brand on the other.

If Cahors and Lagrézette can make money out of mass market Malbec varietal blends which ape the style of Argentinian market leader, good for them.

The difficulty lies in managing the process of making and marketing such products as Zette at the same time as reviving the quality, typicity and image of Cahors in the more discriminating segment of the market. From their up-market products which I have so far tasted, I am not convinced that Ch. Lagrézette is managing this duality successfully. Indeed, on reflection based on Robin's description of Zette, I think that it would have been far better if they had opted out of AOC Cahors entirely for this untypical product.