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Wines like Mavrud

Bulgaria’s most structured indigenous red, from the Thracian Lowlands. Below: what to try next, grouped by the direction you want to travel.

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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.

I like…

The firm, grippy structure The spice The savoury, meaty side

But it’s a bit…

too drying or too tannic too oaky or woody too peppery too earthy or musty too savoury or funky too austere

Clear all

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 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.
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.
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 keeping the firm tannic structure and the savoury, non-fruity character, while moving away from too oaky or woody, too austere and too peppery.

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, and both sit in the same style family.

Keeps the firm tannic structure.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.
Substantially less oaky or woody.
Substantially less austere.
Substantially less peppery.

Sagrantino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Keeps the firm tannic structure.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.
A little less oaky or woody.
Substantially less austere.
Substantially less peppery.

Valais Cornalin

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Keeps the firm tannic structure.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.
Substantially less oaky or woody.
About as austere as the wine you started from.
Substantially less peppery.

Valpolicella Ripasso

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Has some of the firm tannic structure, though less of it.
Has some of the savoury, non-fruity character, though less of it.
Substantially less oaky or woody.
Substantially less austere.
Substantially less peppery.

Touriga Nacional

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Keeps the firm tannic structure.
Has some of the savoury, non-fruity character, though less of it.
About as oaky or woody as the wine you started from.
Substantially less austere.
Substantially less peppery.

Montefalco Sagrantino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Keeps the firm tannic structure.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.
A little less oaky or woody.
Substantially less austere.
Substantially less peppery.

Broad-leaved Melnik

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Keeps the firm tannic structure.
Keeps the savoury, non-fruity character.
Substantially less oaky or woody.
About as austere as the wine you started from.
Substantially less peppery.

Tinto Cão

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Keeps the firm tannic structure.
Has noticeably less of the savoury, non-fruity character.
Substantially less oaky or woody.
Substantially less austere.
Substantially less peppery.

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, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher and more acidic.

Sagrantino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more tannic and structured.

Valais Cornalin

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.

Valpolicella Ripasso

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, 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, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher and more acidic.

Sagrantino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more tannic and structured.

Valais Cornalin

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.

Valpolicella Ripasso

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, 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 more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Dolcetto

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less spicy.

Tinto Cão

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Cru Beaujolais

Cru Beaujolais scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less spicy.

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 more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Cru Beaujolais

Cru Beaujolais scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less spicy.

Dornfelder

Dornfelder scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Rondo

Rondo scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Similar but fuller

Keeps the character but adds weight, concentration and mouthfeel.

Amarone della Valpolicella

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more oaky.

Priorat

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more tannic and structured.

Touriga Nacional

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and more oaky.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and spicier.

Similar but less tannic

For readers who find firm reds drying. Reduces tannic grip while holding flavour and weight roughly steady.

Valpolicella Ripasso

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and drier.

Tinta Barroca

Tinta Barroca scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and more fruit-driven.

Argentine Malbec

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less tannic and softer.

Tinta Negra

Tinta Negra scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and less spicy.

Similar but more structured

More tannic architecture, for food or for ageing.

Sagrantino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less spicy.

Montefalco Sagrantino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and less spicy.

Touriga Nacional

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and more oaky.

Priorat

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and drier.

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.

Rosso di Montalcino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less spicy.

Langhe Nebbiolo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less spicy.

Etna Rosso

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.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and spicier.

McLaren Vale Shiraz

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more oaky.

Jumilla Monastrell

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more oaky.

Tinta Barroca

Tinta Barroca scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

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 more fruit-driven, and less tannic and softer.

Lambrusco Grasparossa

Lambrusco Grasparossa scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Lambrusco

Lambrusco scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

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 less spicy.

Similar but sweeter

Adds perceptible sweetness, which also softens acidity and chilli heat.

Sagrantino

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more tannic and structured.

Tinto Cão

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Touriga Nacional

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and more oaky.

Tinta Negra

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be less tannic and softer, and less spicy.

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.

Saperavi

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

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 less oaky, and more fruit-driven.

Broad-leaved Melnik

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and drier.

Tinta Negra

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be less oaky, and less tannic and softer.

Similar but more oaky

Adds barrel character, toast and a creamier texture.

Pinotage

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and drier.

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and drier.

Barossa Shiraz

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and drier.

Ribera del Duero

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more oaky, and drier.

Similar but more aromatic

More to smell before you taste — floral, fruity or spiced aromatics.

Nebbiolo

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more tannic and structured.

Barbaresco

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less spicy.

Barolo

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more savoury.

Malbec

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more fruit-driven.

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, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more aromatic.

Sagrantino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more tannic and structured.

Valais Cornalin

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more aromatic.

Valpolicella Ripasso

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less tannic and softer.

Similar but more floral

Pushes specifically towards rose, violet, blossom and elderflower character.

Touriga Nacional

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more tannic and structured, and more oaky.

Cahors

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and less spicy.

Malbec

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more fruit-driven.

Touriga Franca

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, and less spicy.

Similar but more savoury

Moves away from primary fruit towards earth, herb, meat and umami character.

Taurasi

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more savoury.

Barolo

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more savoury.

Chianti Classico Riserva

Chianti Classico Riserva scores closest to Mavrud across WineHQ’s taste dimensions.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more savoury.

Naoussa Xinomavro

curated

A comparably tannic, savoury Balkan red that needs time.

Expect: Xinomavro is much paler and higher in acid.

Similar but fruitier

More obvious, generous fruit flavour, usually from a warmer climate.

Touriga Nacional

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be fruitier, and more tannic and structured.

Washington Cabernet Sauvignon

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fruitier.

McLaren Vale Shiraz

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fruitier.

Primitivo

Both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be more fruit-driven, 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.

Mavrud

Both are made from mavrud, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more tannic and structured.

Same grape, warmer climate

Typically riper, fuller and more generous in fruit, with higher alcohol.

Mavrud

Both are made from mavrud, and they occupy similar territory for weight and structure, both come from the same country.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more tannic and structured.

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.

Red Bordeaux

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more oaky.

Amarone della Valpolicella

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more oaky.

Priorat

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more tannic and structured.

Sangiovese

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more oaky.

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, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher and more acidic.

Sagrantino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more tannic and structured.

Valais Cornalin

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.

Valpolicella Ripasso

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, 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, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and fresher and more acidic.

Sagrantino

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure.

Expect: Expect it to be less spicy, and more tannic and structured.

Valais Cornalin

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and cleaner and more fruit-focused.

Valpolicella Ripasso

The structural profile is close across body, acidity and tannin.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, 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, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more oaky.

Priorat

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more tannic and structured.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and spicier.

Ribera del Duero

They occupy similar territory for weight and structure, and both sit in the same style family.

Expect: Expect it to be drier, and more oaky.

How these are chosen

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.