A RED GRAPE · MENDOZA
Malbec
Dark, velvet, violets.
What Malbec tastes like
Malbec is a red grape. In the glass it reads as dark, velvet and violets. Malbec is rich and full-bodied, with firm tannin and moderate acidity, finishing dry. A little oak is common. Its home turf, as we hold it, is Mendoza, Cahors.
Where Malbec grows
Our appellations table names Malbec in 35 wine regions. The ones with the most wines in our database are Saint-Julien (France), Saint-Estèphe (France), Bordeaux (France), D.O. Ribera del Duero (Spain), Cahors (France), Mendoza (Argentina), Médoc (France), Valle de Uco (Argentina), Gualtallary (Argentina), St. Émilion (France), DO Ribera del Duero (Spain) and Côtes de Bourg (France).
Malbec is grown well beyond that list: 23 more appellations name it as a main grape, which is part of why one bottle can taste so different from the next.
How the place changes the glass
- Saint-Julien (France): Classic, austere Cabernet-dominant blends with structured tannins, dark fruit, and cedar—intermediate in power between Pauillac and Margaux. Climate: warm maritime-influenced temperate.
- Saint-Estèphe (France): Structured, age-worthy reds with firm tannins and dark fruit characteristics. Climate: temperate maritime.
- Bordeaux (France): Structured, age-worthy blends with elegant tannins, complexity, and regional variation between Left and Right Banks. Climate: temperate oceanic, moderate continental influence.
- D.O. Ribera del Duero (Spain): Powerful, structured reds with dark fruit, spice and firm tannins; age-worthy expressions. Climate: continental, high diurnal temperature variation.
What to eat with Malbec
The classic partners are steak frites, empanadas and blue cheese. Its tannin wants fat and protein on the plate, so rich meats and aged cheeses suit it.
Malbec in our cellar
The appellations above account for about 3,663 Malbec wines in the Sommurai database, which is how we know which regions pour it most.
Grapes to try next
If you like Malbec, these red grapes are worth a glass: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot, Grenache and Cabernet Franc.
Quick answers
What does Malbec taste like?
Malbec reads as dark, velvet and violets. Malbec is rich and full-bodied, with firm tannin and moderate acidity, finishing dry. A little oak is common.
What food goes with Malbec?
steak frites, empanadas and blue cheese.
Where is Malbec grown?
Our appellations table names Malbec in 35 wine regions, including Saint-Julien (France), Saint-Estèphe (France), Bordeaux (France), D.O. Ribera del Duero (Spain) and Cahors (France).
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