On what Malbec has in common with Alfredo Di Stefano

So what does a type of grape have to do with a great football (soccer) player of a bygone era? Argentina maybe? Well, perhaps, but that is not what I am talking about.

Malbec is a grape varietal that is yields some very good red wines. Malbec has its origins in France, but in its homeland, has been a bridesmaid rather than a bride. In Bordeaux, you will find malbecs blended with other reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet franc or Merlot, but rarely as a single varietal. It is only in Argentina that malbec finds true expression, and is finally ushered to the altar! I became interested in malbecs some ten years ago, and they have only grown on me since - to my uninitated taste buds, they feel lighter and less dense than merlots, and have more body and substance than pinot noirs.

There is pre-Sideways wine writing and post-Sideways wine writing. Sideways, of course, was an era-defining film that turned every slob into a wine snob. And its unabashed championing of Pinot Noir has resulted in a substantial decline of the Merlot cult. So basically, if you asked a random person on the street as to what their favorite wine is, in the pre-Sideways era, she would say Merlot. But in the post-Sideways era, if you admit you like anything but Pinot Noir, you're in danger of being lynched. And the person on the street most likely has never even heard of malbec.

Now clearly, everything that I am saying refers to people who dabble in sub-30 dollar wines. I cant speak to the glories of a '47 Cheval Blanc or a '96 Corton-Charlemagne. All the same, there is something to be said about the accessible wines - wines that the proletariat can enjoy. And in this context, malbec is virtually unknown! Pinots and Cabernets and Merlots rule the roost here. Malbec? What is that?

Recently, Eric Asimov of the New York Times gave malbec a backhanded compliment by touting its unpretentious nature that lent it a distinct individuality untainted by the polish of more upscale wines. A compliment, even one that is grudgingly and reluctantly given is welcome indeed. Not long ago, I asked my friend Mike (who has lived near Napa, and is an oenophile) what some of his favorite varietals were. To my surprise, he said without hesitation, "Malbec!". OK, so Mike is a great guy and I respect his opinion, but why would you? So here is the opinion of Robert Parker, that oracle of Winelandia, whose taste buds shape the products of vinters the world over. In Robert Parker's world, if a wine can rate 95 points, then there surely must be something to it.

So what does this have to do with Di Stefano? Chances are you havent ever heard of Alfredo Di Stefano. If you ask a person on the street who his all time favorite players were, odds are that you would hear the word "Pelé", you might also hear "Maradona", or from someone with a shorter memory, "Zidane" or "Ronaldo"...If you mention Alfredo Di Stefano, you might hear "Alfedo who?". But if you asked someone who had read about the great football players of the past and had watched some of them in action, someone...say like that peerless football writer Brian Glanville... then you might also hear him mutter "Di Stefano"! Why? Born in Argentina, he plied his trade as a football player in Argentina first and then with Real Madrid and Spain. His sensational play was instrumental in Real Madrid winning five successive European Cups from 1956 to 1960. And those who have watched him play have always lamented that due to the cruel machinations of fate, he never was able to grace the World Cup.

And that brings us to the question - what does malbec have in common with Alfredo Di Stefano? Other than the Argentina connection, it is that they both live well hidden in plain sight....scratch that surface a little, and see them in full glory!