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A Biography About Argentina’s Most Famous Red Grape

“Malbec Mon Amour,” written by two directors at the Bodega Catena Zapata winery in Mendoza, tells the story of a grape that likes to travel.

Credit...Malbec mon amour, Laura Catena and Alejandro Vigil. Illustrations: Júlia Barata and Martina Trach, Catapulta Editores, 2022.

Though its roots go deep in France and its origins might be traced to ancient Rome, the malbec grape has become identified with Argentina. It was brought there in the mid-19th century, where it became the country’s dominant red varietal. Dr. Laura Catena — a physician, the managing director of Bodega Catena Zapata, the founder of Catena Institute of Wine and a fourth generation member of the Catena Zapata family in Mendoza — has written a lively illustrated book, “Malbec Mon Amour,” with Alejandro Vigil, the wine director at the family’s winery. It offers general yet detailed information about winemaking and malbec history; describes grape cultivation, terroir and the effects of climate change; explains the specific characteristics of malbec and why it’s suited to conditions in Argentina, notably in the Cuyo region including Mendoza; and tells the story of the Catena Zapata family. For the professional, characteristics of the many Catena Zapata vineyards might be of interest.

“Malbec Mon Amour” by Laura Catena and Alejandro Vigil (Catapulta Editores, $24.99).

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Florence Fabricant is a food and wine writer. She writes the weekly Front Burner and Off the Menu columns, as well as the Pairings column, which appears alongside the monthly wine reviews. She has also written 12 cookbooks. More about Florence Fabricant

A version of this article appears in print on  , Section D, Page 3 of the New York edition with the headline: To Learn: Argentine Red Grape Is a Real Page Turner. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

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