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Malbec – Merlot is a blend of two grape varieties native to Bordeaux, but which have now both found homes in various New World wine regions. Malbec, the full-bodied, vibrant mainstay of Cahors and Mendoza, is often ameliorated with the rounded, plummy flavors of Merlot. Malbec – Merlot blends tend to represent a modern style of winemaking, with even French producers creating fruit-forward examples.

Both Malbec and Merlot are a part of the traditional Bordeaux Blend, and are both officially sanctioned for use in that region's most famous appellations. However, while Merlot still dominates vineyard plantings there (alongside Cabernet Sauvignon), Malbec has largely been eradicated from the region's vineyards. A severe frost in 1956 killed off a sizable portion of Bordeaux's Malbec vines, which were subsequently replaced with more frost-resistant varieties.

Now, Malbec's French home is in the vineyards of Cahors, which can be found a little way to the southeast of Bordeaux. Here, Malbec must make up the majority of the blend, with Merlot (along with Tannat) acting as a kind of insurance policy. Malbec – Merlot blends from Cahors tend to be more rustic in style than examples from other parts of the world, but changing trends have seen a shift toward cleaner, more modern-styled wines.

The blend is widely found in Argentina, although Merlot once again is found in small quantities, with Malbec providing the basis of the wine. Merlot is used where Malbec needs softening, providing a juicy, rounded component to the wine's profile. These wines are often matured in oak, and some of the more premium examples can be cellared for many years.

Malbec – Merlot blends are becoming more and more popular in New Zealand, although Merlot tends to dominate in this case. Malbec is often used to give structure to Merlot-based wines from the Hawke's Bay and Auckland regions, where achieving full ripeness can sometimes be a challenge.

Food matches for Malbec – Merlot wines include:

• Traditional beef casserole
• Grilled rib-eye steak
• Cumin-rubbed lamb pitas