Traveling West in the US is always a good way to feel the rising trends in the wine industry. California produces 80% of the wine produced in the US but is also a state open to many imported wines. The wine consumers are more aware of the new trends and willing to try new wines, new brands and new grapes.

While dining in a restaurant in San Luis Obispo, Ca., a customer told his friend he recently discovered a new style of wines produced from the Malbec grape. He bought his first bottle at Costco and fell in love with the wine. Since then, he keeps tasting every Malbec wines he can find in stores or on wine lists of restaurants. He said he loved the smoothness and fruity taste of the malbec. Up to that day he had tasted only Argentinian Malbec but was ready to try some others if he had the opportunity.

This story confirms the rise of interest for the Malbec in the US. A local wine store owner was telling me that malbec is still not very known on the West Coast because very few local wine makers were producing it. But it is a rising category - either in blends or as itself in a 100% Malbec wine.