The inaugural 1997 vintage of this Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec blend set a new standard of quality for wines from South America when it won a series of blind tastings against first growths and other prestigious cuvees from around the world. 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 Catena family is entering its second century of winemaking in Mendoza, Argentina. Named after Nicolas Catena Zapata's youngest daughter, the Adrianna Vineyard is located at almost 5,000 feet elevation in Mendoza. The soils in this 1.4 hectare parcel are filled with scattered limestone and marine deposits that covered the region millions of years ago. 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.

El Payador is a contemporary and fruit driven Argentinian Malbec created in partnership with third generation Mendoza winemaker Jorge Daniel Falasco. The Falasco family owns 3,000 hectares of vineyards in many of the prime locations, including in the ‘Uco Valley’ which is 1,100 metres above sea level and offers a perfect micro-climate for producing fresh fruit driven wines.A ripe and expressive nose of cherries, raspberries and fresh citrus with subtle notes of spicy oak. The palate is medium bodied with vibrant red berry flavours framed by rounded tannins and savoury complexity. An impressively long, dry finish. Perfect with a protein hit like a chargrilled rib-eye with peppercorn sauce.

The fruit for this impressive malbec is picked from young vines grown at altitude in Mendoza. The altitude contributes to the vitality of this generously flavoured red. There is good integration of oak whilst the wine remains focused on a fresh fruit profile on the palate, and is complemented stylishly by violet aromatics.

HOUGHTON C.W. Ferguson Cabernet Malbec, Great Southern

Very dark colour, complex nose of blackberry/mulberry and plums with a touch of oak spice, palate is rich and full flavoured with blackberry/dark plum fruit softly textured and layered structure with integrated vanillin oak and fine tannins on the finish. An iron fist in a velvet glove style which is well suited to quality grilled beef such as rib eye.