Driftwood Artifacts Margaret River Malbec 2023

Stand alone 100% Margaret River Malbec is gaining traction and it’s easy to see why. While it boasts the fourth largest red grape plantings in Margaret River (behind Cabernet, Shiraz and Merlot), mMalbec is still usually blended, but here we see its lovely ripe, sweet red fruits on show layered in a lasting rich earthiness. Arrives deep in colour with well spiced plum, black cherry aromas, anise, a light dusting of florals and earth. Dense with a complex youthful appeal, the palate roams further, deeper into earth, briar, twig with hints of savouriness and an accompanying wealth of rich spiciness, anise, chocolate and dark berried fruits. Maturation for 14 months in French oak (18% new), adds its touch of sweet-spiced oak and harmonious ripe tannins.  

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic