Massal selection for Malbec

Sélection massale, or massal selection, is an ancient vine propagation technique that I prefer in order to preserve the varietal character of Malbec, the distinctive terroir of the region, and the health and diversity of the vineyard. This is achieved by taking cuttings from a site’s best vines and grafting them onto rootstock that has spent decades adapting to the local conditions.

The major benefit to keeping the original rootstock when replanting a vineyard is that the older the vine, the deeper and more complex its root system will have become. This is a necessity for producing complex, intense wines in Cahors, where the best vineyards are situated at higher elevations that require vines to dig far into the earth to find water and nutrients. 

Much like a child who shares some, but not all of their DNA with their parents, these grafted plants each have their own unique genetic makeup, leading to increased diversity in the vineyard—a key ingredient for producing wines of great complexity.  

I also believe that vines propagated by massal selections have increased resistance to wood diseases due to their older, more established rootstocks. The age of the rootstock also impacts a vine’s productivity; an old vine might produce half as much, or even less, fruit than a young one. This adds depth and concentration to the finished wines, but one must consider the economic impact of low yields — another reason the practice of massal selection is typically reserved for the most prestigious cuvees and estates.

Unlike clonal selection, where just one “mother” vine is chosen—typically from a far-away site—to provide many genetically identical clones that are propagated in a vine nursery rather than on site, massal selection prioritizes quality over quantity. It should be apparent to anyone who tastes the wines that result from this traditional technique that the exacting, labor-intensive process is well worth the extra effort.