2008 Montes Limited Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 70%, Carmenere 30%, Chile

Colored decadence…Deep dark red swirling to black at the center

Aromatically limited…Red plum, pipe tobacco, nail polish

Flavors that fade…I bounce around on pretty much everything Montes has to offer that I’ve sampled. I’ll like one wine but can’t stand the next and the third will be smack dab in the middle. There doesn’t seem to be any consistency in any of their sub-20 dollar bottles. I’m sure the more expensive bottles are amazingly complex, warm and textured, I just wish I could count on their wines to give me some kind of reliability where quality is concerned. This wine is no exception to that rule; except to say that this starts out very inviting but the longer you let it breathe the worse it gets. Wait too long (a few days) and you are left with a wine that doesn’t have anything in common with the wine you sipped upon opening the bottle. Sad to say, but this one doesn’t make the grade. If you drain the bottle before 24 hours goes by then you have a pleasant red wine with an attack personified by plums, grass, tobacco and some smoke. The mid-palate is smooth with tannins that ease in and out while the alcohol just brings a slight tingle to the gums and tongue and the astringency doesn’t really play a factor at all. The finish is long and brings back the plums, but adds dark cherry, blueberry and vanilla to the mix. In all it’s not a bad wine, but nothing spectacular. If you waited a day or two to finish the bottle you will now find the attack is a sickly, sweet mess of sugared plums and candied fruit. The mid-palate is thin, acidic and hot. And the finish is still long, but now shows off unripe berries, sour cherries, backed by plum preserves and a streak of paint thinner. Not a pleasant journey at all.(While I understand letting a bottle sit and get air can adversely effect a wine, a few days in the proper conditions should be possible for a red wine like this.)

Overall, this is the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of red wines. You can guzzle it down and have an OK experience with the bottle, but if you wait too long it’s going to make you cringe every time you take a sip. I can’t recommend this wine in the least. It gets a poor QPR at 15 dollars for this bottle I overpaid by 10 bucks and honestly feel ripped off. Even had I finished the bottle that first night I would have felt this wine didn’t live up to its price point. For the money the Montes Alpha is much better. Be glad this is “Limited Selection” because it might just fade out completely and make room for something good on the shelves. Leave this one alone!

Vina Montes 

2008 Francois Lurton Hacienda Araucano Carmenere, Chile

Simple shades…Dark purple that lightens at the rim

Fruit fragrant…Blueberry, boysenberry, cherry vanilla

Two-toned taste…I ventured outside my usual “wine stores” and purchased this bottle at the Whole Foods around the corner from my house. They stock a lot of the same wines that I see at my local grocer, but they have a decent selection of wines I’ve never come across. Most of them are organic wines and I had a quite pleasant conversation with an organic wine drinker that was deciding whether or not to try Syrah for the first time. That’s neither here nor there but it makes for a good story for another post. On to the review. Basically this wine is what I’d call a two-tone wine all the way around. The aromas are of blueberry/boysenberry and cherry vanilla. The attack features two distinct flavors blueberry/blackberry and licorice/tobacco. I’m not saying it tastes bad; it’s just pretty simple. The mid-palate lacks any real astringency, but shows a decent amount of alcohol heat and tingle on my tongue mixed in with some very playful tannins as they bring just a hint of pucker but serve to make the mid-palate and subsequent finish taste of wood/oak/smoke. The finish is medium in length and carries those same berry flavors, mixed now with the wood/oak/smoke and finally just a dollop of chocolate and cinnamon. The wine itself feels heavy in my mouth but it’s really only a medium bodied effort with an aftertaste of oak and apple (I know that sounds weird in a red wine but that’s what’s left on my tongue between sips).

Overall, I think this is just a bit too boring for me. I’d purchased this in hopes of finding yet another intriguing glass of wine from the Carmenere grape, instead I didn’t really find anything that reminded me of what I’ve come to expect from Carmenere. It lacks the signature herbaceous, green bell pepper and black pepper savory-ness of most Carmeneres; instead showing characteristics of a full bodied Malbec. That’s not saying this is a bad wine, merely an average wine and not a clear example of what this grape usually tastes like. It gets an OK QPR, and a weak recommendation from me only if you want to try something new or are bored with your usual Malbec. If that doesn’t describe you, steer clear of this and seek out nearly any Anakena Carmenere or Chateau Los Boldos Carmenere priced over 12 dollars.

 Francois Lurton

2006 Veramonte Primus, Chile

Color – Purple with a dark red rim

Nose – Blackberry, brown sugar, black currant, raisin

Taste – This turned out to be a stellar deal that is currently available at my local Costco for 14 dollars. I call this a stellar deal because this wine is quite good and sells for 20 dollars at Total Wine, you do the math. On to the wine review! First off you need to know that decanting or aerating this wine is a must. I recommend a minimum of an hours decanting if you truly want to enjoy this wine, but overnight decanting is probably best. This wine is HUGE in the flavor/texture department and if you don’t let it get some oxygen you will get a kick in the palate. That being said, if you decide to sip this after some decent breathing, this wine tastes fantastic. The attack is full of dark fruit/berry flavors; blackberry, plum, dark cherry and black currant with veins of brown sugar and chocolate present as well. The mid-palate is all about balance. The fine balance of firm tannins, alcohol heat and smoky, astringent leather flavors/textures; all of these blend into a long, pleasing finish. The finish tastes again of dark fruits (mostly plum and raisin) with some spice (vanilla and anise), tobacco, chocolate, brown sugar and just a hint of oak. All of these flavors blend effortlessly together into a very pleasant mélange of playful tastes. I enjoyed the finish so much more than the attack and mid-palate that I would close my eyes as I swallowed every sip and let the tastes wash over me. This is a full bodied wine that benefits from being served at or just slightly above room temperature and the weight of it changes when you serve it warmer, so I advise sampling it cooler and warmer so you know what you are getting.

Overall, this is a really good wine for the money. I wouldn’t hesitate to spend 20 dollars on this bottle and at 14 this is almost a great QPR. For a red blend with lots of flavors, complexity and textures going on this one still manages to take my palate on a journey without being pretentious or losing sight of the final destination. I would recommend this wine to anyone that enjoys big, bold red wines; you won’t be disappointed with this effort.

Veramonte

2008 Chateau Los Boldos Cuvee Tradition Carmenere, Chile

Color – Deep purple, nearly black

Nose – Currant, blackberry, sugared plum

Taste – I was in the mood for a Carmenere and had sampled most everything from Total Wine with a sub-ten dollar price tag; so I picked up this bottle for 13 dollars instead. I was hesitant at first due to my dislike of the Chateau Los Boldos Momentos line of wines, but figured there Cuvee Tradition offerings might be more to my liking. Was I ever right? Whereas the Momentos wines are acidic, alcohol-forward and almost overbearing; this Carmenere is smooth, flavorful and surprisingly complex. The wine sips pleasantly directly after the cork has been pulled with just a little overabundance of tannins and some sharper green bell pepper flavors; if you let it decant for 30 minutes or so the tannins calm down in the glass and the green bell peppers become just hints around the edge of the other flavors. The attack is black currant, blackberry, and molasses with minimal flavors of green bell peppers, damp earth and coffee grounds. What I notice first in the mid-palate is an intense astringency that mingles with perfect tannins and some alcohol heat, but these textures easily blend into a wonderfully long finish that is chock full of blackberry, black plum and dark cherry notes and floating at the edges flavors of vanilla, leather, cut grass and bittersweet chocolate. The wine is medium bordering on full bodied with a very pleasant berry/cherry aftertaste. This may be one of the most balanced Carmenere’s I’ve ever tasted and for the price is my new favorite from this varietal.

Overall, this is a pleasing, complex offering from a grape that is oftentimes too green or barring that too Cabernet Sauvignon-like. The QPR here is good-to-great with the flavors and texture truly being worth more than the price tag. I wouldn’t have picked this up had there been any other options in this price range that I hadn’t already tried, that’s how much I disliked the Momentos wines, but this is a winner. I highly recommend this if you like Carmenere, or just want a balanced red, sipping wine. This is a must try.

Vina Los Boldos

Two Wines from Santa Alicia Vineyars & Winery

What follows are two reviews of Santa Alicia wines that I purchased and tasted about a month ago. Due to my lack of internet I have a sizable backlog of reviews so I figured I would post these two reviews together. Hopefully these reviews make sense and assist you on your journey with wine.

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

2007 Vina Falernia Carmenere Reserva, Chile

Color – Dark red, nearly black

Nose – Blackberry, black currant, vegetal notes, alcohol

Taste – I would love to be able to rate this Carmenere right up there with my favorites because it looks good in the glass, it smells pretty darn good, and even the initial sip starts off well, but everything goes downhill from there. There is a lot more fruit in this wine than I am used to in Carmenere; I can taste blackberry, plum, dark cherry right from the initial sip, but those flavors get eviscerated in the mid-palate with a massive dose of alcohol. It is so bad that the aftertaste is one that I am only familiar with in terms of cherry flavored Nyquil. Basically after the first hints of actual flavor the wine degrades into a mouthful of fruit flavored alcohol. You can still catch tinges of brown sugar and cut grass, but they are completely trampled by a long, Long, LONG aftertaste of alcohol. The tannins in this wine might be nice and firm or they might be flabby and flat, I honestly couldn’t tell you because I can’t find them. The only thing my palate can detect after the second sip is alcohol. I tried this over a period of five days and the wine didn’t get any better after decanting or being consumed at higher or lower temperatures. It is a fairly heavy bodied wine and that makes it even harder to slug down.

Overall, I would say pass on this train wreck of a 10 dollar wine. It is not a good QPR, it is a terrible QPR. This wine is overbearingly alcohol forward and not a wine at all but closer to a cough syrup in flavor and nearly in texture. The wine is “heavy” on the tongue and with the predominant flavor of alcohol-cherry-chemicals it brings memories of taking Nyquil when I had the flu growing up. If that is your idea of a good red wine then this one is for you. For everyone else, dump this down the toilet and get ANY OTHER CARMENERE IN THE WORLD (that’s how bad this wine is).

Vina Falernia Wines

2010 Anakena Carmenere, Chile

Color - Inky purple, nearly black

Nose - Bell peppers, dark cherry

Taste - This is a very young while at the same time a very drinkable red wine. It has an interesting flavor transition: dark fruit, bell pepper, spice, heat(alcohol), fruit skins. It is a little fruity for my taste in Carmenere but it is far from a poor wine. I would rate it right up there with the Santa Alicia Carmenere Reserva in flavor and in price. I'd say given a few years of cellaring this will mature rather nicely. The heat and tannins can be a little much at times but there is a definite potential for the flavors to become more organized while at the same time gaining depth and character. You're not going to find too many Carmenere's at this price point that are this good.

Overall, this is a definite winner. Sure I would pay the extra 5 dollars to pick up something really good, but if I'm strapped for cash or just want something I know will taste good this wine fits the bill. It's perfect by itself or with pizza, spaghetti, meats, even cream sauce pasta. Yet another Anakena wine gets an A+ from me.

Anakena Wines

NV Santiago Station Carmenere, Chile

Color - Reddish purple

Nose - Cherry cough syrup

Taste - From the first I can taste a lot of ripe red fruit (cherry, raspberry, red currant); the flavors pretty much cover my tongue. There is some astringency though it's minimal. The wine is young and it comes through in the limited depth of the wine. This is basically a one dimensional wine, very nearly a fruit bomb which is strange for a Carmenere. I wanted to see if the usual spice and herbaceous notes would show up, but it was not to be. There is a split second burst of pepper in the mid-palate then it's gone and fruit comes back. Luckily the heat is dampened in this wine as are any offensive aftertastes, so it is fairly drinkable.

Overall, this is not even close to being a budget Carmenere, if you want that pick up the Santa Rita 120 Carmenere. I had a hard time finding any evidence of Carmenere in this wine at all. It seemed like a rather mundane, medium bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. At 4 dollars it's not going to break the bank and there isn't much else out there at this price that is better, I just wouldn't go out of my way to drink this.

2009 Chateau Los Boldos Momentos de Chile Carmenere, Chile

Color - Dark red with a black core

Nose - Plum, black cherry, wet soil

Taste - I get lots of plum that gives way to what I can only describe as fresh pepper-like and then quite nicely tannic with a mild alcohol heat. There are herbs on the finish which is medium in length and has hints of oregano and smoke (the smoke is present throughout the entire body of the wine). This wine is young and has a lot going on, probably too much going on as it can easily get confusing on the palate. While I get some of the typical Carmenere flavors this is more fruity than herbaceous. It's a medium bodied wine but feels "heavier" on the palate than I think it actually is, a lot of that in my opinion is due to the presence of alcohol and smoke. It benefits from decanting though you can drink it right out of the bottle and it isn't too offensive. It's good by itself or paired with savory dishes and steak, but doesn't really get any better than "good".

Overall, I'd say this is an average Carmenere. It's somewhat muddled and maybe a little expensive or perhaps not what I'd expected from a wine at this price point, 10 dollars. In reality it's an OK QPR and I'd say take a pass on this and pick up the Anakena Indo Carmenere or Santa Alicia Carmenere. This one's just average, those are blockbusters in comparison.

Chateau Los Boldos Wines

2009 Nbed 2gether Carmenere, Chile

Color - Dark red

Nose - Raspberry Jam, green bell pepper, cocoa

Taste - This is smooth, slightly fruity with hints of acid from the tannins which are just present on the tip of the tongue. I detect some creamy raspberry tones on the sides of the tongue and vegetal notes on the finish. The wine wants to be a heavy hitter like a Cabernet Sauvignon but falls short though not in a bad way. This is a pleasant wine by itself, though a little too vegetal at times. It has a very nice creamy flavor and texture when paired with cheese. The wine tastes better above 60 degrees. It tastes somewhat bland when served cooler. It's both fruity and vegetal upon my second drinking a few days later, though it remains rather one-dimensional. It has such a light "weight" on my tongue that I am left feeling as if I've just sipped water instead of wine, and sometimes it tastes nearly "flat" I'd say drink the bottle in one sitting as it loses most of it's limited complexity if given time to breathe.

Overall, this is an everyday run-of-the-mill medium-bodied red wine, you can find a thousand out there just like it. If you pick this up when it's on sale for 5.99, then you got a decent price, anything more than that and I'd pass. I would also advice that this is not what you will get if you pick up nearly any other bottle of Carmenere. This doesn't have the Carmenere spice, though it does have the green bell pepper hints that a lot of Carmenere has. It just tastes like a regular red blend, nothing special. You can keep it around for your friends that aren't wine snobs and bring it out a big social events, but I'd pass on it and pick up anything by Columbia-Crest, Redwood Creek or Concha y Toro for the same price and much more (though still rather limited) complexity and depth.

Carmenere, Two Sides of the Same Grape

What follows is two vineyards offerings of the Carmenere varietal, a grape thought to be extinct that showed up in Chilean vineyards that had been confused with Merlot grapes. These two particular wines are under 10 dollars a bottle and show the differences in a good bottle and a bad one. Without further ado, on to the reviews.

2009 Panilonco Carmenere Reserve, Chile

Color - Dark red almost violet

Nose - Blackberry, cherry, grass

Taste - I get cherries and blackberries on the first sip, but they fade rather quickly. There is a lot of heat from the alcohol that runs over the flavors and mouthfeel of this wine. The wine starts fruit forward, but it's a flash in the pan as the wine has little or no depth and really no finish to speak of. For a Carmenere it lacks the spice and finish I'm used to. It's not bad if it were a cheap red blend and really not bad for as cheap as it is. It's just disappointing that this grape could be this "bland". It's good if you like some bite with your grape juice, but beyond that, nothing special.
Overall, yet another Carmenere down, too bad this is one was a disappointment. Not bad, just not good either. I'd say this is another mediocre wine, this time one from Chile. It has absolutely no depth or character. It's a step in the direction of Carmenere but you should splurge and get something a little more expensive that is going to have a lot better flavor.

Vinedos Errazuriz Ovalle S.A.

2009 Anakena Indo Carmenere, Chile

Color - Purple, nearly black

Nose - Green bell pepper, blackberry (muted especially after decanting)

Taste - I can describe this in just one word: awesome! I will admit that I've tasted wines rated higher, described as more complex, and with bigger bouquets; but this wine beats them all hands down. This is an exquisite, spicy Carmenere that satisfies every need I have when drinking wine. This hits my palate with a nice burst of dark fruit, but quickly fades to a very spicy, green bell pepper flavor on the mid-palate. Then I get distinct tones of sour cherries and the heat of alcohol on the long finish. The body of the wine is medium-bordering-on-full. There is a strong level of astringency that cleans and dries my mouth, but with a wine that is this bold it fits rather nicely.
Overall, this wine cements why I like South American wines especially when they are made at this caliber. What is even more surprising is just how good every wine from Anakena has been. They are exceptional and of decidedly superior flavor and quality, especially for the money. I would hazard a guess and say that Anakena will become the "go-to" vineyard for me, and it should be for you too.


Anakena Wines


There are several other Carmeneres I've tried recently. I would say only one of them comes close to the Anakena, the others fall somewhere in between, some better and others worse than those I reviewed here. I have come to love the Carmenere grape as much as I love Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. It's different and brings it's own flavors to the table. It goes with different foods, and surprisingly I've found more Carmeneres that I can drink by themselves than I've found Cabs that can be consumed without food. I would say you can find the best selection of Carmeneres at Total Wine & More, though Cost Plus has a few decent offerings as well. None of those I've had from the supermarket or Trader Joe's has been worth the time or the money. So if you want to try something new, I would advise picking up the Anakena Indo Carmenere, Santa Alicia Carmenere Reserva or perhaps the Porta Carmenere Reserva, you won't be disappointed.

Wine, the Journey So Far pt. 2

I thought I'd come back to the journey today and leave off the reviews. It's not that I don't have any reviews ready to write. I have several I could post, I just think that it's nice to take a break now and again and write something just a little different. So here is the next part of my journey.

So I've compiled a decent amount of data on wines priced between 5 and 15 dollars, rather I've compiled a lot of date about my TASTES of those wines. I've come to realize that wines under 10 dollars, while they might taste ok and be fine for something to have around, the wines that grab on to my palate and keep me interested are those between 10 and 15 dollars. Sure I've had a few between 15 and 20 and they were all wines I would love to drink, but the quest to find those gems in the 10-15 range is one of those things that makes the journey so much fun.

I would say 1 in 5 bottles of wine I have tried in the below 5 dollar range turn out to be nearly undrinkable. Only once have I dumped a bottle down the drain, but I used half a bottle recently to make beef stew because I couldn't stand to drink the rest of it. This effect is something that on the one hand amuses me, but on the other makes me feel like I'm also just rolling the dice when I purchase wines under 5 dollars. Should I really pay the money and take the chance of getting something that I can't even stomach? At one time, I would have said it was worth it, now I think I'd rather spend a little more money and get a wine that I can drink and savor every drop.

I haven't had any major issues with the bottles of wine I've tasted that have ranged between 5 and 10 dollars. I haven't had a lot of them jump out as above average either. Off the top of my head, I would say the Santa Alicia Carmenere Reserva is the only wine that I have found that fits the bill of being a solid 20 dollar wine in a 7.99 bottle. The Anakena Indo Cabernet Sauvignon is the only other one I have yet to find and it barely makes the grade being as it is right at the 10 dollar cusp. But it's another solid wine and one of my 10 favorites right now. Would I continue to buy between the 5 and 10 dollar range? Sure this range, as of now, provides me with the most "bang for my buck" with the added excitement of finding out just what I've bought.

The 10 dollar and up section is the area of solid performers. Though I have found a few wines that are in the category that I think are overrated, Fabla Calatayud Garnacha being one I can think of off hand. I would say at the higher end of the spectrum there are great options, nearly too many to mention. Surprisingly I have been able to find solid performers at the 10.99 range consistently at my local Costco. And you can count on the staff at Total Wine & More to point you in the direction of several winners between 10 and 15 dollars. I would say this is the area I would love to just consistently sip wine from. If I could afford a bottle of wine in the area every night I would be a happy camper (wouldn't we all?). So for me these wines are my special wines for taking with me to other people's houses or for cracking open after a hard day's work.

All in all, I've discovered quite a bit about myself in the since January 9th when I started writing this blog. I am learning about my palate, what price ranges bring the most complexity, and where I can find the best wines in the three price ranges that I frequently purchase. What does the journey ahead hold for me? Probably a class or two at Total Wine and a few wine tastings at Arizona Vineyards. To finish part 2 off, I will list my top picks in each of my price ranges.

2010 Trader Joe's Vinas Chilenas Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile at 3.99 has superior quality for the price. Nothing fancy, but it's light years ahead of any wine under 5 dollars.

2008 Santa Alicia Carmenere Reserva, Chile at 7.99 at Cost Plus World Market is an amazing deal. This wine was rated 90 points by the Wine Advocate, and it deserves every point. As I've said before this wine should be double that price, thank god it's not.

I can't decide on just one wine in the 10-15 dollar price range. Instead I'm going to list my three favorite varietals in this category: 2007 Munoz de Toro Argie Bonarda, Argentina, 2009 Crios de Susana Balbo Cabernet Sauvignon, Argentina, 2007 Bodega Flechas de los Andes Gran Malbec, Argentina. Funny they are all from Argentina, if I were to have an honorable mention I would list 2008 Concha y Toro Trio (Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah/Cabernet Franc) Reserve, Chile and 2005 Condado Di Oriza Crianza, Tempranillo, Spain. Any of these choices can be found between 10 and 15 dollars, and three of them were rated above 90 points.

Hopefully this was just as fun to read as one of my reviews. If not I apologize. If it doesn't it should help you take another look at your own development and journey with wine. Drinking a glass of wine should be about education, pleasure and relaxation. If you can get that from a glass or a particular bottle, and you haven't gone broke in the process, then you've come a good way in your journey.

2008 Santa Alicia Carmenere Reserve, Chile

Color - Garnet Red

Nose - Blackberry, green bell pepper, leaves, coffee

Taste - This wine is dry with a nice burst of blackberry that fades to something herbaceous, I just can't pin down the particulars. Given the right food the very subtle tannins come to life coating my mouth in somewhat warm, creamed coffee feeling and slight taste. I went out on a limb and had this with three different dishes.

1. Six-Cheese Pizza - The wine is fruity with a nice bite. The herbaceous notes in the nose don't come through. There are definite spice hints almost like black pepper and maybe very minimal clove touches.

2. Sushi - I know wine and sushi don't mix, especially red win, but it wasn't bad. It fared best when the sushi had been given a dip in wasabi, then the heat and spice of the wine complemented the wasabi but the fruits also pull forward making this wine almost seem sweet.

3. Pesto-Alfredo Cheese Ravioli with Shrimp - There are wondrous creamy tannins and lovely herbaceous flavors of grass and green bell pepper. The wine has adopted a decent mouthfeel, still medium-bodied and somewhat tart, it still warms the tongue. It reminds me of a few rather spicy Cabernet Sauvignon's I've had, but not as full-bodied.

Overall, this is medium-bodied with a long finish. it's also quite good without food, which I didn't expect. Hands down, this is the best Carmenere I've tasted so far. It's complex and inviting. I would reach for this when I wanted something lighter than a Cab and not as sweet as a Malbec. It has an exceptional QPR right now since it's on sale at Cost Plus World Market for 7.99. On a side note, The Wine Advocate rates this wine 90 points, and I would highly agree if I used a point system, since I don't I will rate it like this...Go buy some now, and if you have the money buy a whole case, you won't be disappointed.

Santa Alicia Winery

Wine, the Journey So Far pt. 1

Nearly a month into writing this blog and several bottles of wine down. The verdict is mostly mixed on my choices amongst those bottles, a few really good ones, a few terrible ones and most of the other fall right in the middle as being average for their price. More than rating the bottles I have consumed, I have learned a few things too. This post will endeavor to explain one of those lessons I've learned.

This newest revelation in my wine journey came the other day when I was struggling to describe the aroma and corresponding flavor of a Cabernet Sauvignon. I know I'd smelled it before, and tasted it as well. It's often present in the wines that I truly find captivating, but I don't have a lot of reference points on actual scent categories. I've smelled and tasted raspberries, blackberries, black cherries, cherries, plums, raisins, vanilla, licorice, tobacco, leather and strawberries, but I have never tasted or smelled black or red currants, I don't remember what cedar smells like, the last time I tasted pencil shavings was in grade school and I've never had the pleasure of tasting truffles. All of those are ways to describe aroma and taste combinations of the wines that I like. So in searching for the particular reference point for what I was tasting and smelling in this particularly good glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, I sought out my smart, beautiful wife and opined my lack of descriptive knowledge. She smiled at me and asked a couple questions, then reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a container of black currant preserves. And I suddenly had the description I was looking for. I’d used this same bottle of preserves as a reference for an aroma before, but I hadn’t really let my nose REALLY sample the scent. Sure enough when I compared the wine and the preserves they were very close, nearly exact, but of course no exactly the same.
So now I know one of the flavors/scents that I’ve found in wines that I really love. Black Currants. I am also a big fan of vanilla and licorice smells in my wine bouquet. And frequently seek out wines with either of those listed on the wine’s tasting notes. I like the mouthfeel of my wine to be full-bodied, warm and smooth, with a decent amount of tannins with a slight buttery taste and texture. There aren’t a lot of wines out there that have these characteristics; I haven’t found any below 10 dollars. But I will say this list is what I like in a Cabernet Sauvignon which doesn’t/can’t apply to a Carmenere, Malbec or Bonarda. I am still developing my profile for those varietals. Hopefully, it won’t take too long to gather the information on those wines so I can share it with you.
I can officially say that finding out this information has made me more perceptive but also more picky. I tried a few “cheaper” (under 10 dollars) wines this past week. Only one of them piqued my interest, and it was a decidedly cheap 90 point Carmenere. For the most part I have found that wines under 10 dollars don’t have the depth or complexity to really keep me interested. That’s not to say I won’t drink them, I will, I just don’t enjoy them as much. But I will go more in depth on the difference between a 7 dollar bottle of wine and a 15 dollar bottle of wine. Double the price, is it double the pleasure? That’s what’s coming in the next installment of, Wine, the Journey So Far.
Hopefully the explanation of my “palate profile” for Cabernet Sauvignon helped you understand my reviewing of that varietal. I also hope that it helped you to think about your own “palate profile” for any wine you might be drinking. Getting to know what your mouth and nose like where wine is concerned is a more time consuming and arduous task than getting to know what your mouth and nose like where food is concerned. Take your time. Sample as many wines as you can afford to. Go to your local wine shops or the closest Cost Plus World Market and try one of their free wine tastings. Talk to one of the wine experts at the aforementioned retailers. Any and all of these activities will increase your awareness. But most of all you need to trust your own instincts, tastes and preferences. If you don’t like red, don’t try to force yourself into liking red wines. The same goes for white or a particular varietal or flavor. Ultimately wine should be consumed for your pleasure and forcing yourself to drink something you don’t like isn’t my definition of pleasure. So find wines that give you those wonderful feelings. The same ones you get when you eat a great meal, take a nice vacation, or experience your favorite dessert. Wine is decadence. Wine is experiencing life to its fullest. To quote Hemingway, “Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.” Go and drink to the perfection of wine.

2007 Calcu Red Wine, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon/30% Carmenere/15% Cabernet Franc/5% Petit Verdot, Chile

Color - Very Dark Red

Nose - Cherry, raspberry, blackberry, currants (red & black), lots of berries, slight leather and tobacco hints

Taste - Right off this wine is very dry and has a LOT of heat from the alcohol! I taste a lot of cherry, then a lot of heat, and almost a fresh, cool mint taste and feeling just before the wine fades. This wine has some quite mild tannins that are almost erased by the heat. It's dry and the cherries start sweet and then move to sour in a the mid-palate. The finish is quite long but very smooth. To be quite honest there is much more going on with this wine in the nose than in the mouth. It's still something different. I can't say if it's "different-good" or "different-bad". But on my second tasting after the bottle had been open but recorked for about 72 hours, this wine has opened up a lot. The heat is lessened and the flavor of cherries and raspberries comes through more. The tobacco hints in the nose are also present in the finish and are quite pleasant. It's much better after having been opened. I'd say open and wait to drink this specimen.

Overall, in my opinion this wine will turn a lot of people off. They'll equate it to Listerine, rubbing alcohol, or vodka. On the one hand I kind of agree, but I really think this is a winner. I'd recommend it and say decant it and aerate it for some time. Make sure you drink it with food and pair it with strong, fatty dishes (steaks, heavy pasta dishes, ribs, etc), or wait until the bottles been open for a few days before drinking it by itself. Don't drink it right after you open it. It's a decent value at 8 dollars. I plan on drinking it again and taking the crazy journey of flavor that it took me on the first time.

Calcu

2009 Nbed 2gether Dream Easy Red, Malbec/Bonarda, Argentina

Color - Violet/Purple

Nose - Raspberry Jam, Sweet Dark Cherry

Taste - On first taste this wine seems rather fruit forward but transitions into a rather spicy, clean grassy flavor. The Malbec definitely pushes the fruit flavor, while the Bonarda adds some depth, though I could use more Bonarda and less Malbec. Even though it's fruity, it is slightly dry with a medium body. Good clean finish, though rather short, the tannins bite just a bit as the wine leaves the tongue.
I've tried three of the four wines from this Négociant (the French term for a wine merchant who assembles the produce of smaller growers and winemakers and sells the result under its own name). First their Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, then their Chilean Carmenere, and finally this particular Argentinian blend. Unlike the Carmenere this wine gets better after waiting a few days and serving it colder rather than closer to room temperature. The wine becomes more complex though not anything super spectacular just a little more broad on the palate. Still sweet, the tannin bite is still present but the sweetness and slight vanilla spice of the Bonarda cover it well and make this wine quite pleasant.

Overall, The wine sells for 16.99 at Fry's/Krogers. In my opinion that's robbery for this wine. It's a decent wine, but not a 17 dollar bottle of wine. But it's often on sale for 5.99, and that makes this wine a steal. Pick it up when it's cheap and keep lots of it around. It's a pretty decent fruit-yet-dry red for 5.99.

2008 Anakena Ona, Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere/Syrah, Chile

Color - Dark Red nearly Purple

Nose - Amazing nose! Blackberries, subtle spice and vegetal tones, licorice

Taste - This wine is a wonderful fruit explosion with awesome creamy spice hints (vanilla and licorice) just as the fruit fades. The wine absolutely screams "Drink Me!". The color, the nose, the taste all make me want to consume the entire bottle as soon as possible. I paired it with gouda for a great blend of creamy cheese and crisp wine. Slightly sweet, but not overwhelming. Just a tad bit too much acid from the alcohol. The tannins are rich, round and smooth. All of these things make this a must have for a wine of this price (14.99 at Total Wine), buy it now, because it's superb! The perfect wine for the price. Develops a nice vegetal clean edge when consumed with something sweet (chocolate, fruit, etc). Smooth, creamy, complex with savory foods and cheeses. This wine is my second favorite wine at this price.

Overall, just complex enough to impress the wine snobs, smooth enough to appease the everyman. Perfect for any occasion. Drink it now and taste the flavor of Awesome! The only reason that this wine is my number 2 is because my current favorite wine is just a little more complex and inviting than this wine, but this isn't far off.

Anakena Wines