Inviting and complex aromatics welcome you into this wine; brambly, leafy notes backed up by deep dark fruit with subtle spice and char interplay on the nose. There is a deceptive density to this wine's aroma that hints at what lies beyond. The 2016 release builds on that breakthrough style - the wine shows plush generosity but there is a layering of flavours and complexity to this vintage that invites not just a second but third look. Generous, accessible primary fruit sits pretty up front but let the wine breathe and suddenly these dry, fine and lightly chewy tannins build on the back palate, lending a savoury edge to the dark fruit finish of this baby.

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).

Malbec is a grape close to Sam's heart. His wife Maria, who works with him, is from Argentina, so perhaps that's not surprising. He also has a passion for th Durif grape and has done for decades. His car licence plate even reads 'DURIF'. What he loves most though is making wines that wine lovers adore. And he has been doing that for years very well indeed. We've worked with him for decades, and this shy, modest man is a simply brilliant at creating wines that show judges - and our customers love! His Grandfathers back in Italy began thhe winemaking tradion of the Trimboli family, they would be very proud of Sam.

Sevenhill was originally set up in 1851 when the Jesuits who settled in the area planted the Clare Valley’s first vines to produce sacramental wine. The estate’s wines, along with its old stone winery, stately St Aloysius’ Church, College building and spacious gardens has made the Sevenhill name famous. So much so that they have recently won the Gourmet Traveller Award for best Large Cellar Door in the Clare Valley! Ray Jordan gives their 2021 Malbec a solid 92pts, "Malbec is a variety that does rather well in Clare, especially as a major blending component with cabernet. Still this one does it solo, and it does it well. Lots of the distinctive red floral fruits on the nose have that stamp of malbec. Bright and alive on a high energy palate with plenty of ripe red fruit characters with chalky tannins and understated oak in support."

Bleasdale is “one of the most historic wineries in Australia ... in 2015 celebrating 165 years of continuous winemaking by the direct descendants of the founding Potts family.” (Halliday). Among many major awards, they’ve won the Jimmy Watson Trophy.

This Single Vineyard Malbec from 5-star-rated Hungerford Hill’s talented Bryan Currie is “Ripe, plush, weighty and inviting with fabulous fruit concentration" It boasts: "... Dark berry fruit plus scented red rose petals and a hint of musk." (Toni Paterson, The Halliday Wine Companion).