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.

Savour a delicious 93p Malbec with with "fabulous fruit concentration" (Halliday) from a cool-climate single vineyard and the excellent Bryan Currie. Though a Hunter Valley winery, Hungerford Hill uses fruit from both Tumbarumba and Hilltops (they were the first winery to use Tumbarumba fruit, the second to use fruit from Hilltops). “Ripe, plush, weighty and inviting with fabulous fruit concentration and a faint sanguine edge. Dark berry fruit plus scented red rose petals and a hint of musk. Just the right amount of varietal rusticity. 93pts” (Toni Paterson, The Halliday Wine Companion).

The first time we saw this funky little label it was showcasing a plush, aromatic Malbec. It’s back, and there’ll be plenty who will welcome it fondly! The name? Somewhat academic but a Mach number is defined as the ratio of two speeds. An aircraft travelling at Mach 2 is going twice the speed of sound, which itself is affected by composition and temperature. Dig a little deeper and you'll come across terms such as 'compressible flow' ... and if you're someone who is more interested in the social side of wine enjoyment rather than the science behind it, you'll probably be wanting to stop reading and pour yourself a glass of this juicy and very delicious Malbec showing swathes of fruit to coat your tastebuds.

Deep red in the glass with a bold and expressive nose of black fruits and raspberries with subtle notes of spicy oak. The palate is medium bodied with compelling red berry flavours framed by chalky tannins and a savoury character. An impressively long, dry finish makes it a good match for lamb back straps with rosemary and garlic.

This wine is dark purple with intense aromas of violets, blackberries, plums and clove spice. Drinking well now, but with the potential to be a long term cellaring prospect if desired. Lightly fined and racked before bottling without filtration, it is normal for some sediment to form. Decanting one hour before drinking is recommended. Bleasdale is not only one of the oldest wineries in the Langhorne Creek region, but one of the oldest in Australia. Frank Potts, who founded Bleasdale in 1850, has a fascinating history. Born with sea legs, he joined the British Royal Navy at 9 years old and served on Lord Nelsons famous ship HMS Victory. He sailed around the world before landing in South Australia in 1836. He planted the first vines in 1858 and sold fruit to Thomas Hardy. He then expanded the vineyards in the 1860s. He was an innovator and a pioneer who played his role in establishing Australias wine industry. The Potts family still own Bleasdale and descendants Michael and Ben Potts handle the winemaking duties, along with Paul Hotker. They make wines from fruit grown on their 61 hectares of vineyards from varietals like Verdelho, Shiraz and Malbec in sparkling, table and fortified styles. Each parcel of fruit is carefully selected to produce a range of wines that can be enjoyed immediately, or cellared for that special occasion.

Deep red color. The nose is complex with red fruits and figs, followed by aromas of blackcurrant. On the palate, the wine is round with soft tannins, displaying generous aromas of blueberry and blackberry. Well balanced, with a good persistence on the finish.

Houghton CW Ferguson Cabernet Malbec is a tribute to Charles William Ferguson. A pioneer of the Swan Valley region, Charles Ferguson was committed to developing the area along with the reputation of Houghton's. This Cabernet Malbec is the first release and is accumulating a list of gold medals the envy of most, including the Regional Trophy for best Australian red blend over £10 at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2011.