Catena Vista Flores Malbec 2020

The berry and floral character comes through clearly on the nose and palate with a medium body, a medium-tannin backbone and a dark-walnut aftertaste.

The 2020 Catena Malbec shows plenty of roasted notes, toast and ripe fruit, the result of a warmer and riper vintage in 225-liter oak barrels. It reveals a soft and velvety texture, juicy fruit and polished tannins. It finishes dry and surprisingly more austere than I anticipated.

This wine unleashes a barrage of flavors—huckleberry, wild herbs and currants—that lose steam as the tannins take over, lasting on those sticky malbec tannins. It’d be fun to play with pairing ideas, so open it at the beginning of a dinner party and try it alongside everything from cheeses and olives to the main roast.