If you like this, try…
Wines like Mavrud
Bulgaria’s most distinctive indigenous red — dark, tannic and slow to ripen, grown almost entirely around Plovdiv. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.
Refine
What do you like about Mavrud?
Optional — the results below already work without it. But “I like Malbec” is at least four different preferences wearing one name, and saying which one you mean changes the answer substantially. Only qualities this wine actually has are offered.
What these words mean
- The firm, grippy structure
- High tannin — the drying grip on your gums, like over-brewed tea. It gives a red something to hold on to with rich food, and it is what lets a wine age.
- The vanilla and oak
- Vanilla, toast, coconut, sweet spice, sometimes smoke. It comes from the barrel rather than the grape, which is why the same grape can taste completely different with and without it.
- The spice
- Black pepper, clove, cinnamon. Some of it is the grape — the pepper in Syrah is a measured compound called rotundone — and some is the barrel.
- The earthy, mineral side
- Forest floor, wet stone, mushroom, damp earth. Widely described and much less well explained than wine writing implies — the sensation is real, the causal story usually is not.
- The savoury, meaty side
- Leather, olive, cured meat, dried herbs, tobacco. It is what people mean by calling a wine "serious" rather than "fruity", and it comes with age as well as with place.
- That it is properly dry
- No perceptible sugar at all. Almost all red wine is dry and a good deal of white wine is not, which is why this is a more useful thing to say about a white than about a red.
Looking for something moving away from too oaky or woody, too austere, too earthy or musty and too drying or too tannic.
Based on what you said
Ranked against the qualities you named rather than against the wine as a whole. The directions below are refined the same way.
Saperavi
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
- Substantially less oaky or woody.
- Substantially less austere.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Tinto Cão
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
- Substantially less oaky or woody.
- Substantially less austere.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Valpolicella Ripasso
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
- Substantially less oaky or woody.
- Substantially less austere.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Tinta Barroca
Tinta Barroca scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
- Substantially less oaky or woody.
- Substantially less austere.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Lambrusco Grasparossa
Lambrusco Grasparossa scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
- Substantially less oaky or woody.
- Substantially less austere.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Touriga Franca
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
- A little less oaky or woody.
- Substantially less austere.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Tinta Negra
Tinta Negra scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
- Substantially less oaky or woody.
- Substantially less austere.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Corvinone
Corvinone scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
- Substantially less oaky or woody.
- Substantially less austere.
- Substantially less earthy or musty.
- Substantially less drying or too tannic.
Closest overall
Nearest neighbours, no change of direction.
Closest matches
The nearest overall neighbours across structure and flavour, with no deliberate change of direction.
Saperavi
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher and more acidic.
Tinto Cão
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less oaky.
Valpolicella Ripasso
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Tinta Barroca
Tinta Barroca scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less tannic and softer.
Different grape, similar feel
Deliberately excludes the variety you already know, to find a genuinely new wine that fills the same role.
Saperavi
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher and more acidic.
Tinto Cão
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less oaky.
Valpolicella Ripasso
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Tinta Barroca
Tinta Barroca scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less tannic and softer.
Change the structure
Same idea, different weight, grip or freshness.
Similar but lighter
Keeps the character but reduces weight, alcohol and density in the mouth.
Lambrusco Grasparossa
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less oaky.
Tinto Cão
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less oaky.
Rondinella
Rondinella scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Dornfelder
Dornfelder scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Similar but lower in alcohol
Holds the character and the weight where it can, and moves specifically on strength. Note that below about 11% the choices narrow sharply, and below 5% they are mostly a different category rather than a lighter version of the same one.
Lambrusco Grasparossa
Lambrusco Grasparossa scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less oaky.
Dornfelder
Dornfelder scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Rondo
Rondo scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Grolleau
Grolleau scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Similar but fuller
Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.
Amarone della Valpolicella
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Primitivo di Manduria
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Primitivo
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
McLaren Vale Shiraz
McLaren Vale Shiraz scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Similar but less tannic
For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.
Saperavi
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher and more acidic.
Valpolicella Ripasso
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Tinta Barroca
Tinta Barroca scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Touriga Franca
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less spicy.
Similar but fresher
Raises acidity and overall lift, usually by moving to a cooler-climate expression.
Saperavi
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be drier.
Areni
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less tannic and softer.
Langhe Nebbiolo
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less spicy.
Chianti
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less spicy.
Similar but softer
Lowers acidity and sharpness in favour of a broader, gentler feel.
Tinta Barroca
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less tannic and softer.
Primitivo di Manduria
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
McLaren Vale Shiraz
McLaren Vale Shiraz scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Primitivo
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
The sparkling version
Moves to a sparkling expression while holding the flavour and weight as close as possible.
Sparkling Shiraz
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less tannic and softer.
Lambrusco Grasparossa
Lambrusco Grasparossa scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less oaky.
Lambrusco
Lambrusco scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
English sparkling rosé
English sparkling rosé scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Similar but sweeter
Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.
Lambrusco Grasparossa
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less oaky.
Tinta Barroca
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less tannic and softer.
Tinto Cão
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less oaky.
Sparkling Shiraz
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less tannic and softer.
Change the flavour
Same shape, different aromatic character.
Similar but less oaky
One of the commonest requests in wine. Strips oak influence while holding grape character and weight.
Tinto Cão
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Tinta Barroca
Tinta Barroca scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Lambrusco Grasparossa
Lambrusco Grasparossa scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Saperavi
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher and more acidic.
Similar but more oaky
Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.
Pinotage
Pinotage scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and drier.
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and drier.
Barossa Shiraz
Barossa Shiraz scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and drier.
California Cabernet Sauvignon
California Cabernet Sauvignon scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Similar but more aromatic
More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less spicy.
Syrah
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more oaky.
Malbec
Malbec scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Gamay
Gamay scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less tannic and softer.
Similar but more restrained
For readers who find intensely aromatic wines tiring over a whole glass. Keeps the structure, turns the volume down.
Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.
Saperavi
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more aromatic.
Tinto Cão
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less oaky.
Valpolicella Ripasso
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Tinta Barroca
Tinta Barroca scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less tannic and softer.
Similar but more floral
Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.
Touriga Franca
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less spicy.
Cabernet Franc
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less spicy.
Malbec
Malbec scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.
Dornfelder
Dornfelder scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Similar but more savoury
Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.
Chianti Classico Riserva
Chianti Classico Riserva scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and earthier.
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione
Chianti Classico Gran Selezione scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and earthier.
Taurasi
Taurasi scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more tannic and structured.
Barolo
Barolo scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more tannic and structured.
Similar but fruitier
More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.
Primitivo
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Touriga Nacional
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and more tannic and structured.
Primitivo di Manduria
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Zinfandel
Zinfandel scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Change the place
Keep the grape, move it somewhere else.
Same grape, cooler climate
Typically fresher, lighter and more herbal, with lower alcohol.
Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.
Same grape, warmer climate
Typically riper, fuller and more generous in fruit, with higher alcohol.
Nothing in WineHQ's catalogue makes this move meaningfully from here. These are the closest wines otherwise, but do not expect them to deliver what you asked for — the honest answer is that this style does not have a good neighbour in that direction.
Change the mood
Safer, stranger, cheaper or more serious.
A safe next step
Well-known wines that are widely available and unlikely to surprise anyone.
Primitivo
Primitivo scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Amarone della Valpolicella
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Southern Rhône blend
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less tannic and softer.
Cru Beaujolais
Cru Beaujolais scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less spicy.
Something more adventurous
Less familiar wines that occupy similar territory — the interesting end of the shelf.
Saperavi
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher and more acidic.
Tinto Cão
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less oaky.
Valpolicella Ripasso
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Tinta Barroca
Tinta Barroca scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less tannic and softer.
A better-value alternative
Wines that occupy similar sensory territory from regions carrying less price premium. WineHQ does not hold live prices, so this reasons from regional reputation and demand rather than from a price feed — treat it as a lead, not a quote.
Saperavi
The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher and more acidic.
Tinto Cão
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less oaky.
Valpolicella Ripasso
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Tinta Barroca
Tinta Barroca scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and less tannic and softer.
A step up
The benchmark expressions of the same territory, usually with more concentration, structure and ageing potential.
Amarone della Valpolicella
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be cleaner and more fruit-focused, and drier.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and earthier.
Ribera del Duero
Ribera del Duero scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more oaky.
Priorat
Priorat scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.
Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more tannic and structured.
Each suggestion is scored across sixteen taste dimensions, weighted so that structure matters more than flavour, and adjusted for whether the wine actually moves in the direction you asked for. Curated links from an editor carry extra weight — but only when the editor tagged them for this direction. Nothing here is a black box; see the taste model for the full method.