In honor of our travels in Argentina and recent love affair with Malbec, it seemed only proper to start our French wine tasting posts with a Cahors Carte Noir. 

Cahors is a red, Malbec dominated wine from the town of Cahors in the South-West portion of France.  In 1971 Cahors received its official designation as an AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée or wine growing region), and under this label, must be at least 70% Malbec and up to 30% Merlot and Tannat.  

The same area produces both white and rosé wines as well, but the designation AOC Cahors can only be used for red wine. Because of this,  all whites and roses have to be sold under the designation Vin de Pays du Lot instead of Cahors.

Interestingly, the burgeoning popularity of Argentine Malbecs has spurred a resurged interest in wines from Cahors since it is France's leading  Malbec-dominated wine.

We love  this wine because, true to varietal,  it is super easy to drink with just about anything. The dark berry fruit is lush, but not as heavy as some Argentine Malbecs. It's a medium weight wine in the mouth with a moderate finish that lingers just enough to pair perfectly with a plate of cheeses and nuts, but not over power it.

It's a wine you think "hmm I like this and want another sip", but that's where it ends. There's no need to analyze or critique; just enjoy!