Grape Variety: Malbec

Variety Name	Malbec
TTB Approved Name(s)	Malbec
Common Synonyms	Côt
All Synonyms	Agreste, Ausseres, Auxerrois, Auxerrois de Laquenexy, Auxerrois des Moines de Picpus, Auxerrois du Mans, Balouzat, Beran, Besparo, Blanc de Kienzheim, Bouyssalet Bouyssaledes, Cahors, Calarin, Cauli, Claverie noire, Costa Rosa, Costa Rossa, Costo roujo, Côt, Côt de Bordeaux, Côt de Pays, Côt de Touraine, Côt rouge, Côt à Queue rouge, Côt à Queue verte, Cote rouge, Cotes rouges, Doux noir, Estrangey, Etranger, Etrangey, Franc Moreau, Gourdaux, Gourdoux, Grelot de Tours, Grifforin, Gros noir, Gros Pied rouge, Grosse Merille, Guillan, Hourcat, Jacobain, Jacobin, Luckens, Lutkens, Magret, Malbech, Malbeck, Malbek, Margrot, Medoc noir, Monrame, Mouranne, Moustere, Navarien, Navarin, Negre de Prechac, Negre Doux, Negrera, Noir de Chartres, Noir de Pressac, Noir Doux, Nyar de Presak, Oeil de Perdrix, Parde, Perigord, Pied de Perdrix, Pied Doux, Pied noir, Pied rouge, Pied Rouget, Piperdy, Plant d'Arles, Plant de Meraou, Plant de Roi, Plant du Roi, Prechat, Pressac, Prunieral, Quercy, Queue rouge, Quille de Coq, Quille de Coy, Raisin de Co, Romieu, Saint-Emilion, Soumansigne, Teinturier, Teinturin, Terranis, Tinturin, Vesparo, Vesparol
Countries of Origin	France
Species	Vitis vinifera
Pedigree	Magdeleine Noire des Charentes (a previously unknown variety) x Prunelard(see reference 57)
References	Show 7 references Hide references Christensen, L et al. 2003. Wine Grape Varieties in California. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Publication 3419. ENTAV. Catalogue of Selected Wine Grape Varieties and Clones Cultivated in France.1995. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food CTPS. France. Galet, P. 1998. Grape Varieties and Rootstock Varieties. Oenoplurimedia sarl. Chateau de Chaintre, France. Vitis International Variety Catalogue (VIVC). Federal Centre for Breeding Research on Cultivated Plants (BAZ). Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof (IRZ). August, 2007. Link The former National Grape Registry (NGR) was initially compiled and annotated using the earlier version of the Vitis database. The VIVC underwent a significant update beginning in 2007. Corresponding updates to this Registry will be made as necessary. Calo, A. et al. 2001. Vitigni d’Italia. Edagricole-Edizioni Agricole della Calderini. Bologna, Italy. (In Italian) Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB). Code of Federal Regulations Title 27 Part 4.91 List of approved prime names. Link Boursiquot, J.-M., T. LaCombe, V. Laucou, S. Julliard, F.-X. Perrin, N. Lanier, D. Legrand, C. Meredith and P. This. 2009. Parentage of Merlot and related winegrape cultivars of southwestern France; discovery of the missing link, Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 15: 144-155.
Berry Color	Black
Uses	Table,Wine

Malbec PhotosClick photo to enlarge

Malbec Selections

Information about: Clonal Families, Selection Numbers and Registration Status

	Malbec [04]
Registration Status	Registered
Source	Bordeaux, France
Comments	Malbec 03 and Malbec 04 originated from the same source vine in the old Department of Viticulture & Enology vineyard in the Armstrong tract at University of California, Davis. Records at Foundation Plant Services indicate that the original source of this selection was the research station at Grand Ferrade in the Aquitaine-Bordeaux region of France. The original material for Malbec 04 came to FPS from the Department vineyard in 1958. After undergoing heat treatment therapy for 103 days, the selection was first planted in the old FPS foundation vineyard in 1961. In 2011, Malbec 04 underwent microshoot tip tissue culture therapy to qualify for the Russell Ranch Foundation Vineyard. The treated material successfully completed testing in 2013 and was planted at Russell Ranch as Malbec 04.1.
	Malbec [06]
Registration Status	Registered
Source	Department of Viticulture & Enology, UC Davis
Comments	This selection came to Foundation Plant Services in 1956 from the vine at location K129:1 in the vineyard of the Department of Viticulture & Enology at University of California, Davis. It is probable that the material can be traced back to the original Department vineyard planted in Davis in 1910 under the direction of Frederic Bioletti. Bioletti most likely obtained the Malbec for that planting from either the Fountain Grove vineyard in Sonoma, California, or the university experiment station in Tulare, California. After 63 days of heat treatment at FPS and successful completion of index testing, Malbec 06 was planted in 1964 in the old FPS foundation vineyard located west of Hopkins Road.
	Malbec [09]
Registration Status	Registered
Source	France
Comments	The plant material that became Malbec 09 was imported to Davis from France in 1989 as part of the Winegrowers' effort to import French selections to California. Malbec 09 is reported to have originated in Bordeaux vineyards in the Gironde area. The original material underwent index testing at Foundation Plant Services and was planted in the Classic Foundation Vineyard in 1992 as Malbec 09. Malbec 09 underwent microshoot tip tissue culture therapy in 2011 in order to qualify for planting in the Russell Ranch Foundation Vineyard. The treated material successfully completed testing in 2013 and will be planted at Russell Ranch as Malbec 09.1.
	Malbec [10]
Registration Status	Registered
Source	France
Comments	The plant material that became Malbec 10 was imported to Davis from France in 1989 as part of the Winegrowers' effort to import French selections to California. This importation originated from Cahors vineyards in the region of southwest France near the Lot River. The original plant material for Malbec 10 underwent microshoot tip tissue culture therapy at FPS prior to 2000 but remained positive for Rupestris stem pitting virus. After successful completion of testing, Malbec 10 was planted in the Classic Foundation Vineyard in 1999 (which does not exclude RSP+ vines). Malbec 10 underwent microshoot tip tissue culture therapy again at FPS in 2012. That second treated material successfully completed testing to qualify for the FPS Russell Ranch Foundation Vineyard in 2015.
	Malbec [11]
Registration Status	Registered
Source	France
Comments	The plant material that became Malbec 11 was imported to Davis from France in 1989 as part of the Winegrowers' effort to import French selections to California. Malbec 10 and Malbec 11 originated from Cahors vineyards in the region of southwest France near the Lot River. The original plant material for Malbec 11 underwent microshoot tip tissue culture therapy at FPS prior to 2000. After successful completion of testing, Malbec 11 was planted in the Classic Foundation Vineyard in 2000. Malbec 11 successfully completed testing to qualify it for planting in the Russell Ranch Foundation Vineyard, where it was planted in 2012 as Malbec 11.1
	Malbec [12]
Registration Status	Registered
Source	Malbec FPS 08, from Bordeaux, France
Comments	The plant material for this selection arrived in California in March, 1966, and was sent to UC Davis by C.R.A.S.O. (Centre Recherches Agronomiques Sud-Ouest) in Pont-de-la-Maye in Gironde, France (USDA Plant Introduction number 312798). The import was labelled with the name ‘Malbec 1056’. The full name of ‘Malbec 1056’ (also known as Cot) was ‘INRA-Bx 1056’ which originated in the Lot region of France in Cahors vineyards. Bx 1056 was later certified as French Cot 46 in 1971. Upon arrival at Davis, the plant material was installed for a time at location K2v58 in the Old Foundation (West Armstrong) vineyard and began the index testing process at FPS. The decision was made to subject the selection to heat treatment therapy for 60 days, which it underwent in 1969. After successful completion of index testing, the new heat-treated material was given the selection number Malbec 08 and planted in 1975 in the FPS foundation vineyard west of Hopkins Road at location L5 v9-10. In 1997, Malbec 08 underwent microshoot tip tissue culture disease elimination therapy to eliminate Rupestris stem pitting virus. The new material received the selection name Malbec 12 and was planted in the Classic Foundation Vineyard in 2005. Malbec 12 successfully completed testing that qualified it for the Russell Ranch Foundation Vineyard, where it was planted in 2011 as Malbec 12.1.
	Malbec [19]
Registration Status	Provisional
Comments	Imported from France in 2007, this Malbec selection was released to the public collection in 2024.
	Malbec [20]
Registration Status	Registered
Comments	Imported from Argentina in 2007, released to FPS public collection in 2022.
	Malbec [21]
Registration Status	Registered
Comments	Imported from Argentina in 2007, released to FPS public collection in 2022.
	Malbec [23.1]
Registration Status	Registered
Comments	Imported from Argentina for meristem tip culture and testing in 2012. Released to public collection in 2020.
	Malbec [24]
Registration Status	Provisional
Comments	Imported from Argentina, released to FPS public collection in 2024.
	Malbec [31]
Registration Status	Registered
Source	California vineyard
Comments	This selection was donated to the public grapevine collection at Foundation Plant Services in 2011 by Duarte Nursery, Inc.,of Hughson, California. The material originated from a vineyard in Palo Alto, California. After undergoing microshoot tip tissue culture therapy at FPS in 2012, Malbec 31.1 qualified for the Russell Ranch Foundation Vineyard in 2015.