Château du Cedre Sweet Malbec (vin de liqueur) / 2018 / 500mL

Description:

Château du Cèdre Sweet Malbec 2018 is a fortified vin de liqueur from Cahors in South-West France, made entirely from organically grown Malbec and bottled in a 500mL format. Deep and sweet without being heavy, the wine sits somewhere between vintage port and a straight glass of black Cahors Malbec.

The nose leads with blackberry jam, cassis and dried fig, lifted by violet, cocoa and a hint of warm spice. Late-picked fruit gives real depth here, the ferment stopped with neutral spirit so plenty of the grape's natural sugar stays in the glass.

On the palate the 2018 is velvety and concentrated, with fine Malbec tannin running underneath the sweetness and keeping it from turning cloying. A year in older barrels has softened the edges, and the finish is long, dark-fruited and fresher than the sugar level suggests.

Pour it with flourless chocolate cake, a wedge of Roquefort or Stilton, or a coarse duck terrine. It also works chilled slightly as an aperitif for anyone who finds most dessert wines too sweet, and the half-bottle size means you can open it for two people after dinner without committing to a full 750mL — handy for a cheese course, a gift, or a bottle you would rather finish over a week than a month.

Drinking well now and through to about 2033, though remember a 500mL bottle evolves faster than a full one, so it will show its mature, figgy side sooner.