Thank God for the wine buyer at my local Costco and their
ability to bring in amazingly priced gems like this particular wine. Priced
just under 17 dollars, this particular Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon might seem a
little overpriced for those of you that frequently purchase South American
wines. And that would be a valid point if this wine wasn’t as balanced and
complex as it is. I am a huge fan of Chilean Cabs and Carmeneres as well as a
big fan of Argentinean Cabs, Bonardas and Malbecs. And while those wines are
frequently very inexpensive, they just as frequently display a limited level of
complexity even at the 15-20 dollar range. This particular bottle brings out
some of the best qualities of the Chilean terroir while limiting its
shortcomings.
This pours a lovely deep purple shade with rose shaded
bubbles and a black core. The nose is sweet blackberry jam, creamy vanilla,
golden butter and just a dash of lean green pepper. And oh, how this sips!
Gorgeous black currant and blackberry flavors built on a foundation of vanilla
and tar with shimmering walls of pencil lead and green bell pepper. The
acidity, astringency and tannins, all perfectly balanced, morph this wine’s
sweet-ish fruits into wonderfully semi-sweet/sour flavors. The finish is
quietly long; what I mean by that is that it is a rather mellow, balanced
finish that lingers quite some time. The flavors present here are green bell
pepper, blackberry, currant, raspberry, vanilla, oak, tar, ash and just the
smallest notes of black pepper, grass, and forest floor. This is a
medium-to-full bodied wine that leaves an aftertaste of blackberry, grass and
smoke. What truly sets this above and beyond the majority of Chilean Cabs is
the fact that the green bell pepper flavors present in the Amplus are quite
reserved and take a backseat to the fruits and other herbaceous notes in this
wine. Most sub-15 dollar Chilean Cabs have a tendency to be overwhelmingly bell
pepper flavored; limiting the versatility of the wine and my palate feeling
abused. This has just the right amount of herbaceous flavors and a surprisingly
heavy dose of fruit for a Chilean Cab.
Overall, I’d rate this a great QPR if you hold it up to its
South American counterparts. Though you will find a slew of sub-15 dollar
Malbecs that outshine this bottle you won’t find many Cabs from anywhere that
taste like this does. It features just the right amount of savory
characteristics while not overdoing the fruit. I haven’t found a Chilean Cab
that is this balanced nor this inexpensive and I’ve sampled quite a few. I
would highly recommend this if you enjoy drinking wines from Chile or want a
pleasantly refined, yet inexpensive Cabernet Sauvignon.
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