As usual, the local wine shops didn't have the malbecs I was looking for, so I pulled this off the shelf for $8.99 without being aware of a review. Did not decant.

-cool, purple-y red, intensity 3.5/5, very clear.
-nose evolved in the hour or so it took to drink the bottle; intense vanilla oak at first, eventually faded, ripe red cherries evolving into more jammy cherries and "wet rock" (seriously!) a little later, only towards the end did some of the characteristic malbec asphalt smell come through
-fruit forward, more cherries, minerally wet rock again, slightly briary (I can't describe it, I just know it when I taste it); adequately integrated and balanced acids and tannins
-finish longer than expected, slightly smokey; medium bodied

Overall, I was happily impressed for the price. Didn't have the depth of a great malbec, but a nice example to curb your jones in a pinch. My recommendation is to decant it for 1/2 hour or so before approaching it- it definitely improved with a little air.

It went fairly well with a curried cream of carrot soup- not great, but not bad.

I was somewhat surprised to find out that this was rated an 85 by WS- I'd probably bump it up to an 87 or so, particularly with some air time. A QPR A- perhaps...

Cheers!