Midalidare’s Grape Varieties: Malbec - Wine & Dine
If aged in oak, plan to decant Malbec-based wines for at least one hour or use an aerator. Varietal wines tend to perform best in larger Old World Syrah glass (mid-size stem, egg-shaped bowl, narrow rim) or regular Red wine glass, at room temperatures to keep aromas fresh. For Malbecs focused solely on fruit and with very light tannins, it is also possible to consider serving them slightly cooler.
* Serve: 16-18°C
* Glass type: Syrah glass, Regular red glass
* Decant: at least 1 hour if oaked
Malbec food pairings in general
As Malbec is a versatile grape variety, it therefore adapts to a myriad of dishes. Let’s discover:
- Meat: dark meat poultry, beef, chicken, lamb, pork,
- Saucy dishes: stews and civets
- Cheese: Manchego, aged Cheddar, Gouda, Provolone, Gorgonzola Dolce
- Vegetables: potatoes, beans, mushrooms, paprika, endive
- Others: smoky spices, dishes with hints of sweetness, savory bitterness, earthy herbs, and smoky flavors, bittersweets
Malbec pairings by meals
Red meat dishes: Roasted duck; seared beef; grilled/BBQ beef, lamb or pork; Steak, lamb chops, smoked brisket, BBQ ribs with tangy sauces, pulled pork, steak or lamb chops with smoked paprika and roasted peppers.
Saucy dishes: Beef bourguignon, coq au vin, cassoulet, lentil and sausage stew, duck or pork with mole sauce, cocoa, and green onion.
Regional Favorites: Beef empanadas, mushroom risotto, dishes with chimichurri, Argentinian asado cuts like bife de chorizo or ojo de bife.
Cheese: Blue cheeseburgers with mushrooms and caramelized onions.
Vegetables: Roasted vegetables; grilled endive or black beans seasoned with cumin and chili.
Desserts: Milk chocolate or cocoa powder desserts; flourless chocolate cake; dark chocolate truffles; or fudge brownie; caramel tarts; pecan pie, strawberry pie; plum tart.
- Focus on Bittersweet: Choose desserts that are not overwhelmingly sugary, as high sugar levels can make dry Malbec taste bitter
- Intensity Matters: Pair richer, more oaky Malbecs with intense, dark chocolate desserts, and younger, fruitier Malbecs with fruit or cream-based desserts.
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Malbec in a nutshell - Part 1: Essential information about Malbec
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Malbec – The variety and the terroirs - Part 2: Malbec – Specifics of the variety and appropriate regions
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Malbec – Wines & winemaking - Part 3: Malbec – Styles of wines and winemaking techniques
Explore our blog
- Blend & Trend: Popular wine blends by Midalidare - Trendy blending styles
- Classic wine blends - Wine Classics from the Old World
- Sauvignon Blanc vs Chardonnay - Two great white varieties side by side
- Aromatic white grapes - Scent explosion in a glass of white wine
- Carbonic Maceration - Fermentation technique in a completely anaerobic atmosphere
- Cane Cut technique - New name for an old tradition
- Vine pruning celebrations around the world - How they celebrate the growing season beginning in different countries
- Sparkling Wine Guide - Sparkling winemaking - Methods for sparkling winemaking
- Sparkling Wine Guide - Traditional sparkling winemaking - The Champagne method
- Sparkling wine guide – Food pairing - Champagne & Sparkling wine food pairing
- Sparkling Wine Guide: Pas Dosé - Sparkling wine with no added sugar
- Sparkling Wine Guide: Blanc de Noirs - A full-bodied, heady Sparkling
- Wine & Glass pairing: Do specific wine glasses make a difference? - Do specific wine glasses make a difference?
- Wine & Glass pairing: Guide to different types of wine glasses with stem - Anatomy - Part 1: Anatomy of a wine glass
- Wine & Glass pairing: Guide to different types of wine glasses with stem - Part 2: Different types of wine glasses
- Wine & Glass pairing: Rose Wine Glasses - Flared Lip Rose Wine Glass
- Wine & Glass pairing: Rose Wine Glasses - Slight Taper Rose Glass
- Wine & Glass pairing: White Wine Glasses - Sauvignon Blanc Wine Glass
- Wine & Glass pairing: White wine glasses - Unoaked Chardonnay Wine Glass
- Wine & Glass pairing: White wine glasses - Оaked Chardonnay Wine Glass
- Wine & Glass pairing: White wine glasses - Riesling Wine Glass
- Wine & Glass pairing: Red wine glasses - Cabernet/Merlot Wine Glass
- Wine & Glass pairing: Sparkling Wine Glasses - Basic types of Champagne and Sparkling wine glasses
- Wine & Glass pairing: Red wine glasses - Old-world style Syrah
- Pinot Noir in Central Otago - What sets Central Otago's Pinot Noir apart from other regions?
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Mourvedre - Part 1: The variety
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Mourvedre - Part 2: The terroirs
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Mourvedre - Part 3: The wines
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Mourvedre - Part 4: Serving and storage
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Mourvedre - Part 5: Food pairing
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Sauvignon Blanc in a nutshell - Part 1: Essential information about Sauvignon Blanc
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Sauvignon Blanc - The variety and the terroirs - Part 2: Sauvignon Blanc - Specifics of the variety and appropriate regions
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Chardonnay - The variety and the terroirs - Part 2: Chardonnay - Specifics of the variety and appropriate regions
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Merlot in a nutshell - Part 1: Essential information about Merlot
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Merlot - The variety and the terroirs - Part 2: Merlot - Specifics of the variety and appropriate regions
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Tannat in a nutshell - Part 1: Essential information about Tannat
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Tannat – The variety and the terroirs - Part 2: Tannat – Specifics of the variety and appropriate regions
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Tannat – Wines & winemaking - Part 3: Tannat – Styles of wines and winemaking techniques
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Tannat - Wine & dine - Part 4: How to serve, store and pair Tannat wine with food
- Midalidare’s grape varieties: Syrah in a nutshell - Part 1: Essential information about Syrah
