Malepere is an appellation of red and rosé wines from an area immediately Southwest of Carcassonne in the Languedoc-Rousillon wine region of southern France. The appellation was created as VDQS Côtes de la Malepere in January 1983 and was promoted to FullAOC status in 2007, under the simpler name Malepere. As with the stylistically similar Cabardes appellation (directly to the North), Malepere wines are made from an eclectic combination of Bordeaux and Languedoc grapes. Merlot is the most widely used, combined with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Grenache, Syrah and Cinsaut.
Malepere wines come from a Warm, DryMediterraneanClimate with a relatively mild winter. They are grown on clay and limestone Rich soils - similar to those of Blanquette de Limoux, located directly south. The environment here is not typical of the Languedoc (it is more like that of south-west France), as it is divided from the rest of the region by the hills of the CentralAude administrative area. This short chain of Pyrenean foothills reaches a height of 600 metres immediately east of Carcassonne, which creates a slightly different climate.
Malbec, a high-yielding red grape variety, produces tannic and colourful wines. It is produced in different wine-growing regions and changes its name according to the grape variety. Called Auxerrois in Cahors, Malbec in Bordeaux, it is also known as Côt. 6,000 hectares of the Malbec grape are grown in France (in decline since the 1950s). Malbec is also very successful in Argentina. The country has become the world's leading producer of Malbec and offers wines with great potential.
red wines from the region of Malepère go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, pasta or veal such as recipes of beef pot au feu (grandma's style), capellini with vegetables or casserons in the country style.
On the nose in the region of Malepère often reveals types of flavors of cassis, black fruit or earth and sometimes also flavors of oak, red fruit or cherry. In the mouth in the region of Malepère is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.
