Some of the family went up to Walla Walla and brought back a 2018 a Maurice ‘Gamache Vineyard’ Malbec [Walla Walla] and gave it to me as a gift some years ago. I opened this a few days ago and have been enjoying a husky glass each night. This is way better than I would have ever expected, and I actually went to their website to see what current availability is like…but it appears they are shut/shutting down, and only other bottlings are left. Background: the winery was set up by a PNW timber magnate and the winemaker had some experience in Argentina. Paul Gregutt had some positive comments on the producer in his book although no specifics on this inky purple, rich, malbec which shows a peppery, eucalyptus, minty bouquet on a corpulent 14.5% abv frame. I find the fruit to be on the blackberry/plummy side, and very youthful. Sealed under DIAM 10. I’d give this an easy A-, and those who love Big Napa flavor might notch it up even higher. No longer made, and not cheap, but perhaps it might show up on auction sites. It would be a crazy ringer in a Cahors / Southwest type of blind panel. Some of the better French styled Argentine malbecs feel like this, but even though I probably should buy/drink more of those I have yet to really dive in as prices feel too high compared to Bordeaux right bank satellites.