CÔT EXPLAINED: THURSTQUEEN SHARES EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT MALBEC'S SEXY, COOL CLIMATE, TWIN SISTER

WHAT THE HECK IS CÔT?

Côt is essentially France’s answer to Malbec. We all know that grapes grow all over the world, right? And Malbec is a pretty popular grape. For those of you who already are familiar with Malbec’s origin story, you’re probably aware this grape hails from the Cahors region of Southwestern France. That was where it got its start prior to making a splash in Argentina. A lot of folks who drink Malbec are only familiar with the high alcohol, deeply purple, fruity beverage from this South American Country. But what if I told you there was a different side to this grape? A softer, lower alcohol side that still had plenty of intensity. That grape is called Côt. And a lot of folks in the Wine World crush hardcore on Côt, so much in fact that it’s one of our best kept secrets.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MALBEC & CÔT?

Malbec grows in Argentina, which has a warmer climate due to being in the Southern Hemisphere. Because of this, Malbec has higher sugar levels, and as we know from the process of winemaking, sugars in grapes get eaten by yeasts and pooped out as alcohol during the fermentation process. More sugar in a grape yields more yeast poop (sorry to be crass, but that’s just how it is,) which inevitably leads to… Well? A higher alcohol content in wine.

Aside from that, Malbec tends to taste fruitier, where as Côt is a little bit greener. When a wine tastes green, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing as a lot of Sauvignon Blancs, Gamays, and Cabernet Francs have an herbal, stemmy quality to them that makes them quite refreshing.

Interestingly enough, Côt predates Malbec as the original name for the grape. It wasn’t until the late 18th Century when it was named, “Malbec,” after Monsieur Malbeck, a man who grew the grape in Bordeaux.

WHAT’S THE BEST PLACE TO LOOK FOR CÔT?

For inexpensive, easy-drinking Côt, you want to hit up wines from the Touraine within the Loire Valley of all places. These wines are inexpensive, typically under 13 percent alcohol, and light-as-a-feather. These wines are low in mouth-drying tannins, and are full of black and blue fruit. Some Côts have a little kiss of licorice and menthol. These wines are perfect if you like Malbec, but don’t like the richness and high alcohol content of this wine. The best expressions of Côt thrive in heavily graveled vineyards, with a deeper layer of clay for added water absorption.

You can also find good expressions of Côt from Cahors, and these wines tend to be a bit more rustic stylistically.

WHAT FOODS DO I PAIR WITH CÔT?

Anything with mushrooms, especially the roasted kind! Also, you want to check out soft, pungent cheeses like Bleu Cheese. Dark meat poultry is something to check out as well, in addition to leaner cuts of meat.

PICK OF THE WEEK: Fabien Jouves Haute Côt(e) de Fruit $21.00 @ Stanley’s Wet Goods

The Fabien Jouves “Haute Côt(e) De Fruit Cahors 2020” is a gossamer-light expression of Malbec. It’s almost sheer texturally, and has a heady, animalistic sort of smell straight off the bat. Picture dirty violets vibing beautifully with ultra ripe blackberries. There’s definitely a mineral spine to this wine, and the tannins are whisper soft for a Malbec.

Fabien Jouves is a Cahors-based vigneron who is one of the go-to guys for Côt within the region. The guy has a great sense of humor, and created a wine called, “You F*** My Wine?!” - another expression of Malbec - that caused quite the stir. The wines are all aged in a mixture of concrete, barrels, or casks depending on the general vibe of the grapes.

This wine would be great with a slight chill. It’s ultra fine, and extremely drinkable. Great for warmer weather.