Lip-smacking, ripe black fruit flavours coat the mouth. Theres a lovely richness to these brightly defined, saturated fruit flavours. Ripe, supple tannins sit in the background and together with the fresh acidity attractively frame the abundant black fruited palate. A clean, fragrant and generously flavoured full bodied red best enjoyed in the full vigour of its youth.

Located in the far southerly growing region of Altamira en La Consulta, the Nicasia vineyard is the only planting of the special Catena Selection of Malbec cuttings in this traditional area for Malbec. La Consulta was Nicolas Catena's father Domingo's preferred Malbec location. In 1898, Nicola Catena left his homeland of Italy, and sailed for the land of plenty and opportunity: Argentina. It wasn't long before Nicola planted his first Malbec vineyard in Mendoza in 1902. Although traditionally used as a blending grape in Bordeaux, Nicola believed in the potential of Malbec as a single varietal wine, and suspected that it might uncover its hidden splendour in the cooler climes of the Andes. Flash forward a few decades, to where Nicola's grandson, Nicolas Catena Zapata, has taken over the management of the business. He sold off the bulk producing parts of the company, focusing instead on producing premium Mlabec and Cabernet. To that end, he began searching for the best sites in Mendoza to plant. In 1992, he settled on Gualtallary Alto - the highest and moste Western part of Tupungato. Today, the wines of Bodega Catena Zapata are sourced from six historic estate vineyards: Angélica, La Pirámide, Nicasia, Domingo, Adrianna and Angélica Sur.

The La Violeta 2015 is a stunning representation of Argentinean winemaking at its finest. Produced in the renowned vintage of 2015, this wine is a true testament to the exceptional quality of grapes grown in Argentina. On the nose, it exudes intense aromas of dark cherries, plums, and blackberries, with hints of vanilla and spice. The deep ruby color is a feast for the eyes and immediately entices the senses. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and velvety, with luscious flavors of ripe fruits, accompanied by notes of chocolate and tobacco. The tannins are well-integrated, providing a smooth and elegant finish. This La Violeta 2015 is a must-try for any wine lover, and a perfect pairing for a hearty Argentinean meal. Decanting is recommended to fully appreciate the complex layers of this exceptional wine.

The desert climate produces a soft, medium to full bodied wine with a ripe red fruit flavour and an elegant touch of smoke and vanilla from its contact with wood.

This elegant and complex Malbec was aged for 12 months in American and French oak barrels and expresses aromas of black fruit, jam and vanilla, with a subtle touch of liquorice. This wine has a great structure and lingering finish.

Catena Malbec combines rich dark berried fruits together with hints of violet on the nose. Complex layers of blueberry and blackberries on the palate finishing with silky tannins and hints of dark chocolate, vanilla notes. Latin America has been known to produce some fiery temperaments, but theres something really cool coming out of Argentina - Malbec is what were getting into right now. Malbec is well suited to Australian tastes, it loves a steak, and offers big, bold vibrant notes. We think this is one Latin American youll get along with famously.

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).