Tierra del Puerco Barossa Valley Tirzah The Malbec 2021

No problem with colour here. Deep, deep purple. No problem either with fruit intensity and the grape’s naturally gifted floral and herb notes, including an Aussie bush character that, with just one sniff, places you almost in the vineyard. Cuttings of Shiraz were taken from Wendouree in the Clare Valley, so the viticulturist, John Lienert, and his winemaker brother, James Lienert, are in good hands here. A core of lovely fruit – black cherry, plum, sage, anise, bush mint – shines in this wine topped with woody spices, dried herbs and chocolate.  A fine but firm tannin presence opens the opportunity for further ageing. All of this for $25 a bottle is mighty good value.