2007 Santa Alicia Anke Blend 2, Chile
Color – Ruby red with violet hints on the rim
Nose – Raspberry, strawberry, green bell pepper
Taste – This jumped right out at me as I scanned the shelves at Cost Plus World Market the other day. A blend with Carmenere, Petit Verdot and Shiraz, I had to try it. Despite the fact that this is just a little more than I like to pay for wine, I went ahead and purchased a bottle. The wine looked good in the glass after I’d poured it, it swirled nicely and the aroma was pleasant enough, but the flavor lacked what I expected. It has Carmenere leanings for sure (blackberry/black current with pepper and spice notes). But it doesn’t have a lot of other flavors. It tastes more like just another Carmenere than a blend. That’s not to say it’s a bad wine, just not a lot beyond normal. The attack is spicy blackberry/black currant flavors. The mid-palate is mild astringency, delicate tannins and invisible alcohol. The finish is medium in length with dark fruit skins, leather, green bell pepper and cut grass. The wine wants to be full-bodied but falls short only reaching medium-bodied weight and a texture that is a little watery in the mouth.
Overall, I would rate this a poor QPR, just missing out on and even rating. This doesn’t work for me. It doesn’t taste bad, but it purports itself to be something special, something a little more than your normal Carmenere. But it lacks anything that a 7 dollars bottle of Carmenere will give you and it’s twice the price. It’s not bad if you want something to sip on that can hold up to food or being enjoyed by itself; but I wouldn’t pay the price for it again there are far too many other red blends that are superior to this one and a lot of those are several dollars cheaper than this one. In short, pass on this one.
2005 Santa Alicia Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Chile
Color – Very dark purplish red
Nose – Blackberry, currant, brown sugar
Taste – A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to do a little shopping at Cost Plus World Market and this wine just about jumped off the shelf at me. ‘A 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon for less than 10 dollars?’ I thought to myself ‘That’s got to be a joke.’ After talking with Larry the Beverage Specialist, I decided to purchase a bottle and see what this wine was all about. I expected this to be an earthy, bold Cabernet Sauvignon. Something that goes beyond the normal Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon flavors of either ripe dark berries and fruit or wet soil and green bell peppers. I got some of both of those flavors when I took the first sip. The attack features blackberry, burnt brown sugar and pepper. The mid-palate is largely a blend of alcohol warmth and ghosts of green bell peppers. The finish is medium-to-long, filled with flavors of spicy black pepper, more green bell peppers, fruit skins, coffee, and tobacco. This Cabernet Sauvignon is full bodied with subtle astringency and complex flavors and textures. As good as this wine is, I expected just a little bit more from something that has sat in the bottle for so long. But as I thought about it, this wine makes perfect sense. The flavors and textures have mellowed from what was most likely a very powerful, young red wine but the wine itself holds up nicely and is extremely drinkable.
Overall, I would rate this a near-great QPR, 10 dollars for a Cab Sauv with the complexity and flavor profile exhibited here is pretty hard to find. Drinking this wine is not only pleasant but also very fulfilling. This really pours a great glass of wine. Complex for the price, dark in color, a nose that is packed full of amazing characteristics and flavor for days you can’t miss with this one. I recommend you buy this before it clears off the shelves.
Santa Alicia Vineyards & Winery
