2009 Nico by Luca Malbec Laura Catena

This is fascinating on the nose with olive oil, blackberry, flowers. Full body, with super fine tannins and a Burgundian texture and finesse. Savory and delicious. Tiny production malbec from the area of La Consulta. Drink now or hold.

It is always awkward when a wine is named after somebody's son or daughter - what if the wine is awful? Fortunately, Luca's flagship wine named after Laura Catena's daughter is sublime. The 2009 Nico by Luca is a pure Malbec from Altamira and La Consulta in the Uco Valley, from 51- year-old vines. The fruit is aged in French barriques of which 70% are new. It has a very elegant bouquet of wild strawberry, red currant, orange zest and crushed stone that is beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp tannins. It is a complex wine with blackberry, bell pepper, red peppercorns, cumin and a touch of fennel towards the finish, which is harmonious and very elegant. This is an outstanding Malbec that will age with style. Just 200 three- packs made. Drink 2013-2025.

Full ruby-red. Inviting aromas of blackberry, black cherry, licorice, menthol and mocha. Densely packed and silky, with superb intensity to the high-pitched dark berry flavors. Wonderfully sexy and velvety wine with terrific lift and sappiness. With its very firm spine of noble tannins and ripe acids, this beauty will mellow with time in bottle. The lush, very long finish makes the Beso de Dante come off as dry and lean by comparison.

This dark red has an aromatic side, with spice box, sandalwood and incense notes to the structured dark cherry, cassis and mineral accents. Drink now through 2019. 50 cases imported. -NW