Malbec, but not as you know it

Château du Cèdre L’Improbable 2023 takes everything we normally expect from Malbec and turns it gently upside down.

Instead of being dark, powerful and heavily structured, this is a lighter, brighter and more delicate interpretation, filled with raspberry, cranberry, fresh cherry, flowers and pink pepper.

Short skin contact keeps the colour translucent and the tannins soft. The palate remains juicy and supple, with lively acidity, subtle earthiness and a fine mineral finish.

It is unmistakably Malbec, but expressed with the freshness and ease of a light red designed for the table.

Serve it lightly chilled and let it show you a completely different side of the variety.

Why is it called L’Improbable?

“L’Improbable” translates as “The Improbable.”

The name reflects how unexpected this wine is within the landscape of Cahors.

Cahors is historically associated with deeply coloured, firmly structured Malbec. Its traditional wines can be powerful, tannic and capable of developing for many years.

L’Improbable moves in the opposite direction. The winemaking is closer to the gentle handling used for rosé or very light red wine. Some of the juice is produced through short maceration, while another portion comes from direct pressing.

The result is pale, perfumed and fluid, showing the grape through freshness and texture rather than extraction and weight.

It is an improbable Malbec and that is precisely what makes it so appealing.

Discover Malbec

Malbec is a dark skinned grape originally from south western France.

Although it is now closely associated with Argentina, the variety has a much longer history in Cahors, where it is also traditionally known as Côt or Auxerrois.

Classic Cahors Malbec is deeply coloured, with flavours of blackberry, plum, violet, earth and spice. Its thick skins can produce substantial tannins and wines with considerable ageing potential. L’Improbable demonstrates that Malbec does not have to be powerful.

By reducing the time the juice spends with the grape skins, Château du Cèdre captures the variety’s red-fruit, floral and spicy qualities without extracting its full colour or tannic strength.

If you enjoy Pinot Noir, Gamay, light Grenache or chilled natural reds, this is a beautiful way to discover another face of Malbec.

The vineyard

The fruit comes from the high Mindel terraces near the Lot River in south-western France.

These terraces were formed from very old alluvial deposits approximately 500,000 years ago. Gravel, stones and weathered river material create free-draining soils that naturally regulate vine growth.

The Malbec vines are approximately 30 years old.

Their established root systems help the vines access water and nutrients beneath the surface, supporting balanced ripening through the warm growing season.

The fruit is allowed to reach full maturity before harvest. This is important because the wine’s freshness comes from gentle extraction rather than underripe grapes.

The result combines ripe fruit with moderate alcohol, lively acidity and an unexpectedly delicate structure.

The Château du Cèdre story

Château du Cèdre is one of the benchmark family estates of Cahors.

The Verhaeghe family’s story began in the early twentieth century, when Léon Verhaeghe left Belgium and settled in south-western France. The family gradually established vineyards in the Lot Valley, and the modern estate developed under brothers Pascal and Jean-Marc Verhaeghe.

Today, the domaine is led by the next generation, including Jules Verhaeghe.

The estate farms approximately 27 hectares, most of which are planted to Malbec, with smaller parcels of Merlot, Tannat and white varieties.

Château du Cèdre is best known for refined, age worthy Cahors, but the family also has a strongly experimental side.

L’Improbable reflects that curiosity: a wine that respects Malbec and its terroir while refusing to follow the traditional Cahors formula.

How is it made?

L’Improbable is produced through a combination of two gentle winemaking techniques.

One portion is made by saignée. The juice remains briefly in contact with the Malbec skins for approximately one to three days before being drawn away.

This short maceration extracts a pale red colour, perfume and a small amount of tannin without creating the density of a traditional Cahors.

The second portion is made through direct pressing. The grapes are pressed shortly after harvest, limiting skin contact even further and preserving delicacy and freshness.

The two components are blended and fermented in older barrels.

Because the barrels have already been used for several vintages, they provide texture and allow slow oxygen exchange without covering the wine in strong new-oak flavours.

The wine spends approximately one year on its lees in these barrels. Lees contact contributes softness, depth and a gently savoury quality.

No oenological additives are used during fermentation or maturation. Only a small amount of sulphur is added before bottling to protect the finished wine.

What does it taste like?

The colour is light, translucent ruby with a slightly rosé-like brightness.

The nose is expressive and unusual for Malbec, opening with raspberry, cranberry, red cherry and rosehip.

Floral notes appear with air, followed by pink pepper, red capsicum, orange peel and a subtle earthy quality reminiscent of forest floor.

The palate is dry, supple and filled with crunchy red fruit.

Its tannins are soft and finely textured, while present acidity keeps the wine lifted and refreshing.

A gentle mineral note runs through the palate before a savoury finish of cherry skin, spice, earth and finely balanced bitterness.

Is it sweet?

No. L’Improbable is fully fermented to dryness.

The 2023 contains less than 1.2 grams per litre of residual sugar, so there is no perceptible sweetness. Its ripe raspberry and cherry flavours make it taste generous and juicy, but the palate remains dry, fresh and savoury.

This makes it an excellent option for drinkers who enjoy fruit-forward reds but want to avoid sweetness, jamminess or high alcohol.

Is this a natural wine?

L’Improbable fits comfortably within the low-intervention and natural-wine category.

The grapes are certified organic, and no winemaking additives are used during fermentation or maturation. Fermentation takes place in older barrels, followed by extended ageing on the lees. The wine receives only a light addition of sulphur at bottling for stability.

It is not made to taste deliberately wild or faulty. The result remains clean and precise, with its natural-wine character expressed through freshness, texture and minimal manipulation.

Should I decant it?

Decanting is not necessary.

The wine is designed around perfume, freshness and delicate fruit rather than heavy tannins that need extended air.

Open it approximately 15, 20 minutes before serving, or simply allow it to develop in the glass. Serve it lightly chilled at approximately 12–14°C.

If the bottle is at room temperature, place it in the refrigerator for around 30 minutes before opening. Avoid serving it ice-cold, as very low temperatures will hide its floral and earthy aromas.