Mordrelle ‘The Gaucho’ Malbec 2023 by Mordrelle Wines from Langhorne Creek is a seriously exciting South Australian take on Malbec, inky purple–black in the glass and brimming with character from first pour to last sip. It channels that Argentinian gaucho spirit with a refined local polish that feels tailor‑made for Australian tables. This 2023 Mordrelle The Gaucho Malbec is the kind of wine you open when you want flavour, structure and a bit of theatre all in one bottle.

In the glass you’ll find distinct aromas of tar, warm earth and a touch of peat, wrapped up with pepper, pomegranate and fresh herbs that keep you going back to the nose. The palate follows through with dark plum and cherry, threaded with liquorice and choc‑mint, sitting in a medium‑bodied frame with grainy, shapely tannins and lively acidity that gives real drive and length. It’s polished yet still retains that wild Malbec lift that makes it so compelling to drink.

I’d be lining this up next to a chargrilled rib‑eye, slow‑cooked lamb shoulder with rosemary, or a rich chimichurri‑drizzled asado to echo the wine’s gaucho roots. It will also sing with grilled portobello mushrooms, smoky eggplant or a black‑bean and chipotle stew if you’re keeping it vego, where the wine’s acidity and spice cut through richness beautifully. This is a Malbec that will impress at a dinner party but is equally at home by the fire with a good wedge of aged cheddar or manchego.