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Malbec: Separating elevation, extraction, and vessel
The grape variety known as Cot in France is connected with Malbec from the foothills of the Andes. Using technical data on Concreto, we interpret what is indicated by vineyard conditions, skin contact, and maturation vessels.
Questions for this course
Do red wines matured in concrete have no tannins?
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To applied practice using the material ↓
To explanation task notes ↓Malbec / Study by Grape
Also known as / Alternative names: Côt / Côt / Cot
Update date: 2026-09-23
Connecting Cot and Malbec
Malbec, also known as Côt, is a black grape deeply linked to southwestern France. The CIVB notes its saturated color and tannins as features. When comparing with Argentine Malbec, start from the fact that the variety is the same, and then investigate differences in regions and winemaking.
From altitude to growing conditions
At the base of the Andes, changes in altitude result in differences in temperature and sunlight in the vineyard environment. However, higher elevation vineyards are not uniformly better. Latitude, slope orientation, soil, and water conditions also vary, so do not treat altitude as the sole indicator of quality; instead, use it as one factor to consider in relation to ripening and acidity.
Extraction occurs even without barrel use.
Zuccardi Concreto 2019 is 100% Malbec. The official documentation notes fermentation and aging in concrete, 20 days of maceration, and partial whole-cluster use. Not aging in wood barrels is different from not extracting components from the skins or seeds. You cannot explain the presence or absence of tannin using only the name of the vessel.
What to align and what to compare.
Reading about synonyms
- Conditions to standardize
- Cot and Malbec
- Conditions for comparison.
- France and Argentina
- Additional points to confirm
- Compare using unified names
Read the vineyard
- Conditions to standardize
- The same variety.
- Conditions for comparison.
- Altitude, latitude, sunshine, soil
- Additional points to confirm
- Do not rank quality based solely on altitude.
Read about the process
- Conditions to standardize
- Fermentation and ageing for red wines.
- Conditions for comparison.
- Contact period and vessel
- Additional points to confirm
- Distinguish between absence of wood barrels and absence of extraction.
Order of reading and key points to consider in each article
0 / 4 articles completed
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- 1↗
France
Southwestern region
Check the grape varieties in Cahors and the surrounding regions.
- 2↗
Argentina
Mendoza: Luján de Cuyo and Maipú
Reading the geography of mountain foothills and Malbec.
- 3↗
Argentina
Uco Valley: From elevation to plots
Look in detail at the differences between altitude and soil.
- 4↗
Argentina
Zuccardi: Malbec Made in Concrete
Interpreting the 2019 winemaking documentation.
READ · HYPOTHESIZE · RECONSIDER
Malbec resource interpretation: Separating elevation, extraction, and vessel
From the official technical summary of Concreto 2019, carefully extract only what is explicitly written.
The summarized producer information is for Zuccardi Concreto 2019. This is not a chart showing the specifications of other vintages.
Flavor assessments or measured tannin content are not included.
| Item | Content described |
|---|---|
| Grapes | 100% Malbec |
| Vineyard | Finca Piedra Infinita, Paraje Altamira, altitude 1,100m |
| Fermentation / Maceration | Concrete, native yeasts, 20 days maceration, some whole cluster |
| Aging | Concrete |
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Read the explanation for each question
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What is the proportion of whole clusters used?
The source states that part of the grapes were fermented as whole clusters, but does not specify the proportion.
What can be inferred from not using wood barrels?
Contact with skins and similar components is done separately. Not using barrels does not necessarily mean the wine will be free of astringency.
Are the winemaking steps the same for different vintages of the same label?
This document refers to 2019. If the harvest year changes, the raw material and winemaking decisions may also change.
Basis and sources for the exercise
Practice exercises in comparison
From the official technical summary of Concreto 2019, carefully extract only what is explicitly written.
Read examples of organizing comparisons
| Conditions for Comparison | Maceration sources | Materials on maturation vessels |
|---|---|---|
| What is indicated | Contact between skins and juice/wine | Vessels used for aging |
| Concreto 2019 | Whole bunches partially used for 20 days | Concrete |
| Additional points of interest | Temperature, extraction operations, and state of raw materials | Period, vessel shape, and oxygen management |
This is an organized study tool based on the designated articles for this course. You can check specific facts and sources in each article.
Explain in your own words
Rewrite the explanation 'there's no astringency because barrels were not used' using variety and winemaking information.
Check after writing
- Was it treated as 2019 documentation?
- Have you misunderstood the use of partial whole clusters as being 100%?
- Were extraction and maturation vessels separated?
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