Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/764739
4 8 V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T | J a n - F e b 2 017 w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m f it's World Malbec Day and you can't make it to Argentina, try Idaho. Idaho's high-altitude vineyards (up to about 3,500 feet) make comparisons to Argen- tina's Malbec vineyards inevitable, despite the fact that some Andean vineyards are at elevations twice or more than Idaho's highest. And now the handful of Idaho winer- ies that produce Malbec wine are so confident of their product that they're prepared to share the world Malbec stage with some of the top producers on the planet. + High desert growing conditions in Idaho's Snake River Valley AVA are conducive to Malbec. + Idaho's vineyard elevations of up to about 3,500 feet are the highest in the Northwest. + Currently, most Idaho winemakers don't have enough Malbec grapes on hand and have to contract with growers, often from Washington State. + Idaho's a great place to celebrate World Malbec Day, April 17. AT A GLANCE Magnificent Malbec BY SUSAN G. HAUSER Magnificent Malbec Idaho's Malbec producers are creating outstanding wines with a sense of place. Idaho's Snake River Valley AVA is at nearly the same latitude as Cahors, France, where Malbec was first grown by the Romans.