Order a steak in Argentina and nobody asks if you want wine. They ask which Malbec. Here in California, the question at the table is usually different: Malbec or Cabernet? Both are dry, full-bodied reds, both love beef, and both show up on almost every steakhouse list. They are not the same wine, though, and knowing the difference makes ordering a lot easier.
Malbec vs Cabernet: the short answer
Malbec is softer. Cabernet Sauvignon is firmer. According to Wine Folly, Malbec is a dry, full-bodied red with medium tannins and medium-low acidity, known for dark fruit and a smooth, chocolatey finish. Cabernet is also full-bodied, but with more tannin and more acidity, and a savory side that runs from black pepper to tobacco.
In the glass, that means Malbec feels round and plush right away. Cabernet grips the sides of your mouth and lasts longer.
Where each one comes from
Malbec started in southwest France, where it is still called Côt and was long grown around Cahors. It reached Argentina in 1853, brought by the French agronomist Michel Aimé Pouget, as Wines of Argentina tells it. It found its real home in Mendoza. Today Argentina is the world's main producer, and Malbec makes up 38.6% of the country's red grape plantings.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the Bordeaux grape that went everywhere. France, Chile and the United States have the biggest plantings, and Argentina grows some too, mostly in Mendoza and Salta.
How they taste, side by side
1. Fruit
Malbec leans to plum, blackberry and black cherry, often with cocoa or milk chocolate. Cabernet brings black currant and black cherry, and more of a savory edge.
2. Tannin
Tannin is the dry, gripping feeling on your gums. Malbec has medium tannins. Cabernet has more, which is why young Cabs can feel tight.
3. Finish
Wine Folly notes that Malbec doesn't have a very long finish compared with Cabernet. It hits fast and generous. Cabernet lingers.
4. Oak
Many Argentine Malbecs see only about six months in oak. Reserve bottles can stay 18 to 20 months. Cabernet usually spends 9 to 18 months in French oak.
5. Price for quality
Malbec has long been the value pick of the two. You tend to get a lot of wine for the money.
Which one with which steak?
Wine Folly's advice for Cabernet is to look for foods high in fat and umami. Fat softens tannin, and tannin cuts through fat. That one idea covers most of the steak menu.
1. Rich, marbled cuts (ribeye, tomahawk): Cabernet, or a big Malbec
A ribeye has enough fat to tame a firm Cabernet. If you prefer Malbec, pick a fuller, oak-aged one so it doesn't get lost.
2. Leaner cuts (filet, sirloin): Malbec
Wine Folly suggests Malbec with leaner red meats, because it has less tannin and a shorter finish. A heavy Cabernet can overpower a tender filet.
3. Skirt steak and chimichurri: Malbec
Skirt steak, entraña in Argentina, is beefy and a little charred, and chimichurri adds garlic, herbs and vinegar. Malbec's soft fruit handles all that without fighting the sauce.
4. A mixed grill for the table: a blend
When the board has short ribs, sausage, sweetbreads and steak, one grape rarely covers everything. A Malbec-Cabernet blend is the easy answer.
5. Mushrooms, blue cheese, cumin: Malbec
Wine Folly notes that Malbec does very well with earthy and funky flavors. Think grilled mushrooms or a blue cheese sauce.
How to serve them at home
Serve both a little cooler than room temperature. Wine Folly puts Malbec at 60 to 68°F. Twenty minutes in the fridge does it on a warm SoCal evening. A young Cabernet benefits from a decanter. Malbec usually needs only about 30 minutes, if any.
Where to taste Malbec and Cabernet side by side in SoCal
The wine list at Gaucho Grill, an Argentine steakhouse with locations in Pasadena, Downey, Buena Park, West Covina and Old Town Temecula, is built for exactly this comparison. You'll find Argentine Malbecs and Cabernets from Mendoza and Salta on the same page (see the wine list).
On the Malbec side, there is Amosa Malbec de la Casa from the Valle de Uco, plus Uno, Enemigo and A Corazón Abierto. For Cabernet, the list has Domingo Molina Cabernet Sauvignon from Salta and A Corazón Abierto Cab Sauv Etiqueta Negra from the Valle de Uco. If you can't decide, the Amosa Grand Blend mixes Malbec, Cabernet, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Catena DV Historic Red Blend and Clos de los Siete are blends too.
Amosa wines come from Mendoza's Valle de Uco (meet the Amosa wines). Malbec de la Casa is 100% Malbec. A good way to learn the difference: order a glass of Malbec and a glass of Cabernet with the same steak, and switch between them.
Gaucho Grill Pasadena, on South Lake Avenue, describes its wine list as built around Argentine Malbec, which makes it a good stop for a side-by-side tasting with dinner (Pasadena location).
Malbec has its own day, too. Wines of Argentina celebrates Malbec World Day every April 17.
FAQs
Is Malbec sweet or dry?
Dry. Most Malbec is a dry, full-bodied red. The ripe plum and chocolate notes can read as "sweet" on the nose, but there's very little residual sugar.
Is Malbec lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon?
Both are full-bodied. Malbec usually feels softer, with medium tannins and a shorter finish, while Cabernet feels firmer and lasts longer.
Should Malbec be served chilled?
Slightly. Wine Folly suggests 60 to 68°F, a little below room temperature, so a short spell in the fridge helps.
What steak goes best with Malbec?
Leaner, beefy cuts like skirt steak or sirloin, especially with chimichurri. At Gaucho Grill, a good place to try it is a glass of Amosa Malbec de la Casa with a steak off the parrilla.
Does Gaucho Grill serve Argentine Malbec?
Yes. The Gaucho Grill wine list includes five Argentine Malbecs: Amosa Malbec de la Casa, Uno, Enemigo, and two from A Corazón Abierto, the Gran Malbec and the Etiqueta Negra (wine list).
Does Gaucho Grill have Cabernet Sauvignon too?
Yes. Gaucho Grill lists Argentine Cabernets such as Domingo Molina from Salta and A Corazón Abierto Etiqueta Negra, along with red blends that mix both grapes.
What are Amosa wines?
Amosa is a wine label from the Valle de Uco in Mendoza, poured at Gaucho Grill. The range includes Malbec de la Casa, a red blend, Malbec Rosé and Chardonnay.
Want to try the comparison yourself? Book a table and ask for one glass of each.
