2022 Bleasdale Mainsail Malbec, Langhorne Creek

This Langhorne Creek winery has made quite some statement with this variety since its first vintage in 1961. This is a new release to mark Bleasdale’s 175th anniversary. Impressive? You bet. The soft and generous style of this wonderful region is illustrated perfectly in this wine. Highly aromatic with red and black fruits dominant on the nose. The wine is exquisitely balanced with the fine chalky tannins and neatly judged oak adding support to some excellent fruit. It’s medium weight but there is deep concentration. Sure, drink it now, but time in the cellar would be well worth it.

96 points Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot

A barrel selection, yet only 10% new French oak puncheons utilised, allowing the excellent fruit to shine. It's not fruity, obviously, but the fruit is the core of this excellent wine. Black plums and cherries, a touch of kirsch, molasses and licorice, loads of baking spices and a ferrous/stony note. Fuller bodied but not overly weighty, with plush, ripe tannins, a hint of green walnut on the finish and fresh acidity, too. Very smart malbec; even better with hearty fare. Drink 2025-2035.

95 points Jane Faulkner Halliday Wine Companion April 2025

There is nowhere in Australia more capable of great malbec than Langhorne Creek. This new label celebrates founder Frank Potts, whose first career was as a seaman. Deep, bold and bright purple-red colour; attractively scented bouquet of violets and fresh herbs, somewhat firm on the full-bodied palate, with grippy tannins bringing up the rear in a major crescendo. Oak is nicely trimmed. Very good and will deliver more if given the time. Drink 2026-2040.

95 points Huon Hooke The Real Review July 2025

The 2022 Mainsail is a barrel selection made in small quantities in exceptional years. It is the ultimate expression of Malbec from Bleasdale. Not a fruity wine, but the restrained use of new oak allows the fruit to shine through. You can look forward to intense floral and berry aromas as well as savoury notes of olives. The wine is full-bodied, with abundant fruit flavours held together by a firm structure. Black fruit, spices, stone like notes. Should be a good candidate for at least mid-term cellaring (10 years or so). Give it heaps of air if wanting to crack open a bottle now, and serve with something chargrilled, or salty and umami rich.

Fruit was de-stemmed to open fermenters (approximately 20% whole berry), for a couple of days ofpre-ferment maceration. Fermentation peak at 30°C with pump overs up to 4 times daily. Drained and pressed just prior to dryness after 7-10 days on skins (block dependent). The wine finished the fermentation in tank, then settled for 24 hours before racking to oak for malolactic fermentation, spending a total of 12 months in new (10%) and seasoned French oak puncheons.