Coates ‘The Malbec’ 2022 from South Australia (Robe/Adelaide Hills) is a bold yet elegant take on Malbec – deep, inky and violet‑rimmed in the glass, bursting with dark berries and plush texture but kept in check by smooth tannins and a gentle whiff of spice. It’s very much a small‑producer, character‑driven Malbec with serious drinkability.

At first taste, Coates Malbec 2022 gives blackberry and cherry with a definite bramble perfume, plus ripe blackberries, dark plums and mocha. The palate is all dense blueberry and chocolate‑mousse flavours wrapped in smooth, integrated tannins, offering an elegant, warming embrace with a hint of spice adding depth – rich but not claggy, with enough freshness to keep you going back.

From an Adelaide sommelier’s perspective, Coates ‘The Malbec’ 2022 is tailor‑made for grilled steak, lamb chops, beef short ribs or BBQ brisket, and it’s a beauty with hard cheeses and charcuterie as well. It’s exactly the sort of plush, dark‑fruited red you pull on a cool night when you want something comforting yet nicely put‑together in the glass.