2078 | Argentina, $50 to $100

"This shows how powerful Argentine Malbec can be, with a torrent of blackberry, boysenberry and bittersweet ganache notes. But there's exceptional drive and focus here as well, with a great graphite spine driving through the spice- and floral-infused finish. A stunner for its combination of power and precision, and the best wine yet from this winery."

"Ripe, lush and inviting, with unabashed licorice, plum sauce, melted fig and boysenberry fruit flavors that glide over hints of spice and mocha. The long, velvety finish pumps out the fruit in spades".

"It offers a ripe bouquet of raspberry coulis, strawberry, vanilla and cedar, augmented by cigar box with a little aeration. It is well-defined, and the oak is neatly folded into the fruit. The palate is fleshy in the mouth, to the point where you would think it was more Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon. It is nicely balanced, although I searched for more backbone and structure, especially on the finish, which is delineated but laconic. It is undoubtedly a very pleasurable wine, but I feel it could give so much more."

"A glass-coating opaque purple color, it exhibits a brooding bouquet with notes of exotic spices, sandalwood, incense, lavender, black cherry, and blackberry. Dense, layered, and voluptuous with the oak fully integrated."

"Since I have been tasting the Catena wines, this has generally been my preference because it seems to have an extra dimension of complexity. So it is with the 2007 vintage. The Argentino offers a similar aromatic and flavor profile, but with just a bit of extra nuance. It will be most enjoyable to taste these 3 wines side-by-side in another 10 years (or, to be truthful, at any time)."

"A glass-staining opaque purple, it offers up a splendid bouquet of sandalwood, Asian spices, incense, black cherry, and blackberry. Dense, layered, and long, this packed effort has enough structure to evolve for another 4-6 years."