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Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec is a blend of two dark red grape varieties, both originally from the vineyards of Bordeaux. While Cabernet Sauvignon is still widely planted there, Malbec has found a new home in the high-altitude vineyards of Argentina. The Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec blend is usually produced there, making dense, tannic wines with plentiful red and black fruit characters.

Flavor descriptors used to identify the blend’s characteristics will ultimately depend on the proportion of each variety used. In a wine dominated by Malbec, there may be violets on the nose, with dark plums and gamey notes on the palate. For a wine built around Cabernet Sauvignon, it would be more common to experience a mellowed Cabernet style with a rich, blackcurrant-driven mouthfeel. There are no officially designated proportions, but Cabernet is usually used in smaller amounts to bolster Malbec, giving added depth and body. These wines are often aged in oak, and can command high prices.

While both varieties are traditionally a part of the classic Bordeaux Blend (along with Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc), they are rarely seen together in wines from the region, especially without the addition of a third variety. Instead, producers in Mendoza (and to a lesser extent Salta) have been using the blend, as both Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon thrive in the dry, high-altitude terroir there.

Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec wines are found in various other parts of the world where the two varieties are grown, although Malbec is not nearly as widespread as the ubiquitous Cabernet Sauvignon. Numerous examples of the blend can be found in Chile, Australia, and in particular the United States, where the two varieties are a part of the Meritage blend.

Food matches for Cabernet Sauvignon – Malbec wines include:

• Grilled chorizo sausage
• Lasagne
• Barbequed lamb