Clare Valley’s Jim Barry is a name known around the world – a byword for quality and wine expertise. A founding member of Australia’s First Families of Wine, the Barry family celebrated the 60th anniversary of its winery in 2020, the year it also scooped the title of Halliday’s ‘Winery of the Year’. Over three generations the Barry name has been famous throughout the wine world and synonymous with the Clare Valley. Jim Barry bought his first vineyard here in 1959, and even helped the Taylor family open their winery a decade later. Son Peter took over Jim Barry in 1985, and today brothers Tom and Sam, with sister Olivia, have raised the bar even higher. Tom and Sam have been shortlisted for Halliday's Winemaker of the Year 2026. This is a new exclusive, a succulent Malbec from the Clare Valley's high altitude Eastern Ranges.

A traditional red grape variety from Bordeaux in France, Malbec is increasingly being grown in Australia. The grape is renowned for its deep colour, generous fruit expression and full flavour. Margaret River wine region offers great growing conditions for the variety. Malbec wines from this region show great depth and beautifully reflect the character of the grape. This is not surprising considering Margaret River and Bordeaux experience similar climatic conditions.

A stunning individual vineyard wine, sourced from the Lopresti vineyard, bursting with fresh dark plums and mocha on the nose, with a smoky, earthy varietal richness. It won Gold at the Australian Alternative Varieties Show, plus Gold and the TROPHY for Best Other Red in Show at McLaren Vale.

Argentine Malbec doesn't get much finer than this. From a Bordeaux wine family, Hervé came to South America to look for a vineyard and fell in love with old vine Malbec. He not only bought vineyards but also made his home there. Having started in Mendoza, he now has an estate in Patagonia too. He runs his properties like a top Bordeaux château, with impressive barrel cellar and meticulous attention to detail. This hugely impressive cuvée comes from 30 year old Malbec vines grown in Patagonia's Río Negro. Made like a fine claret, the juice was pumped over to extract colour from grape skins during fermentation then aged for 12 months in French oak barriques. Silky with violet and liquorice aromas and dense black fruit, it's perfect with beef.

If you thought that Argentina was the only place to find fine Malbec, think again! Zonte's Footstep have triumphed with this luscious Langhorne Creek example boastinga berryfest of flavour, FIVE Gold medals and 93 points from Halliday: "Violets, boysenberries, redcurrant and leather. Bright and characterful at once. Sweet and vibrant through the mouth, dry and firm through the finish. Mid-weight. In lovely form...93pts" (Halliday).