Benmarco Malbec 2007

Lovely spice, mint and crushed raspberry fruit aromas give way to a supple, elegant version of Malbec, with perfumy raspberry and boysenberry fruit, and enticing spice and toast shadings on the finish. Very fresh acidity too. Contains 12 percent Bonarda. Drink now through 2006.

This full-bodied wine veers toward jammy, with obvious chocolate-tinged oak. The palate is broad and brash, with floral notes accenting plum and black-cherry fruit. BenMarco, which boasts 12% Bonarda, is from Pedro Marchevsky, Catena's former vineyard manager. It's a tribute to his father, made by his wife, Susana Balbo.

Brooding at first, with dark coffee, bramble and blackberry flavors, this turns decadent as it moves across the palate, offering lush fruit, ripe tannins and alluring spice and chocolate nuances. Powerful, but not heady, with an intriguing meaty note on the muscular finish. Drink now through 2006.

Susana Balbo makes this supple and full-bodied red from 50-year-old vines. The age of the vines gives this wine uncommon richness and concentration, making it an extraordinarily sophisticated Malbec.

The 2006 Malbec (with 10% Bonarda) received 11 months in 50% new French oak and 50% 1 year American oak. Purple-colored, it offers an attractive toasty, smoky nose with notes of earth and black cherry. Medium-bodied and elegant, it is smooth-textured, ripe and concentrated with enough silky tannin to allow several years of development. It should drink well through 2020. This wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

At the suggested price, it is a steal. The 2007 Malbec contains 10% Bonarda. It received the same oak regimen as the Cabernet. Dark ruby/purple-colored, it exhibits a kinky perfume of black cherry, wild black raspberry, earth notes, and leather. On the palate there is plenty of jammy fruit, bright acidity, excellent balance, and a lengthy finish. While it may well evolve for 1-2 years, it can be enjoyed now. It too is a great value.

Good full ruby. Aromas of black fruits, licorice, menthol, dark chocolate and smoked meat. At once creamy and juicy, with very good sweetness and grip to the dark berry flavors. Finishes with suave tannins and very good persistence.