2008 Santa Ema Amplus Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile

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.

Vina Santa Ema 

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 Bridgman Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington

Honored hues…Black core fading to dark ruby red and finally a violet tinted rim

Fragrance of familiarity...Black plum, brown sugar, leather

Smooth swallows…I grabbed this from Total Wine’s Featured Cabernet Sauvignon section. I’ve slowly made my way through the sub-20 dollar bottle that they place in this section, but I hadn’t sampled this particular wine yet. As soon as I got it home I poured myself a glass and slowly sipped. First impression: this is a very balanced wine both in flavor and texture. The attack is quite smooth with equal parts sugary fruit (blackberry and black plum) and strong herbaceous flavors (grass, leather and straw). The mid-palate holds firm tannins, evenhanded alcohol heat and tingle and perfect astringency. The finish is long and the least balanced part of this wine as the flavors, fruity and savory, fight for prominence. Neither actually win out, though the fruit comes on first with more plum added to currant and black cherry. The savory flavors hit with cut grass, tobacco, sage and dirt. This is a medium bodied wine that sometimes feels like a full bodied red wine; but in reality it doesn’t have the weight to drive it all the way into full bodied territory. The aftertaste is somewhat oaky but also has hints of plum and bitter fruit skins.

Overall, this is not what I’d expected from a Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon. It has more in common with a well balanced Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. The fruit here isn’t as forward, and the lack of spice box flavors left my palate longing for a different wine. What this wine does offer is a nice, smooth Cabernet Sauvignon with a fair price point. This particular bottle only merits a fair QPR even though it’s very balanced, it’s priced about a dollar or two above what I’d really want to pay for this wine. It does much better when paired with grilled red meat, even hamburgers; so if you do pick up this bottle make sure to pair it accordingly.

Precept Wines

2009 Courtney Benham Courtney’s Angels Cabernet Sauvignon, California

Tempting tints…Very dark red with a garnet rim

Wild whiffs…Blueberry, cherry, plum and baking spices

Typical tastes…I thoroughly enjoy Courtney Benham wines, though they are mostly out of my price range. The Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is one of my favorite wines and their Sauvignon Blanc is one of the few North American Sauv Blancs that I’ll drink. That being said, I’d not given this wine much thought when I shopped at Total Wine & More. It’s a 10 dollar bottle sourced from Paso Robles grapes. I figured it would be a fruit forward Cabernet Sauvignon with few redeeming qualities and absolutely no complexity or depth. I was 100% right about it being fruit forward but dead wrong about complexity and depth. The flavors here are blackberry, plum, black cherry and raisin with underlying nuances of cinnamon, anise, vanilla, all spice and chocolate. The mid-palate is light on tannins and astringency, though there is a vein of acidity that runs throughout this wine that shows up stronger in the mid-palate giving this a slight sour alcohol flavor. The finish is medium in length with returning cherry and blackberry flavors mixed lightly with grass, cocoa, and mint leaves. This is a medium bodied wine with a fresh fruit skin flavored aftertaste that will compliment just about any dish from salad to pizza to steak.

Overall, I’d purchase this wine again. It’s a little above average in flavor and complexity and about average in price. I give this a good QPR, though I’d say this has typical California flavors for a 10 dollar bottle this might hold just a little more depth than your average grocery store red wine from California. This is an easy drinking Cabernet Sauvignon, not too heavy but very food friendly. Pick up a bottle on your next visit to TW&M.

Martin Ray Winery

2009 Mauro Sebaste Nebbiolo d’Alba Parigi, Italy

Beauteous to Behold…Elegant ruby red lightening slightly at the rim to garnet

Heavens Scent…Tobacco, cherry, herbs, grass and lettuce (smells the way endive tastes)

Palatable Perfection…As a short disclaimer I must be quite honest and admit that Nebbiolo, and Italian wines in general, don’t normally make my list for reviews. I am not that familiar with Italian reds aside from a few inexpensive Chiantis and Trentatre Rosso; nor have I enjoyed most of the Italian wines that I have tried. They tend to run sharp and acidic, tasting of sweet-sour cherries and raspberries and they tend to fall more in the light or medium bodied category. So I have shied away from reds from Italy until my most recent trip to Total Wine & More. This particular afternoon (a Friday) they were sampling three different Italian reds of varying prices and qualities. I enjoyed the first but it left my mouth puckering a little too much, the second was palatable enough but not something I would drink often but the third wine (a Barbaresco) was immaculate but outside my price range. At the advice of the wine expert that was taking me on my journey through Italian reds I purchased this particular Nebbiolo and I am exceedingly happy that I listened to him. First off this wine looks a little light in the glass but the color is very even throughout the glass and makes me immediately assume this wine has depth and quality. The aromas coming from the wine are very tight and focused (as an aside you really need to decant this wine for a minimum of 3 to 5 hours if not overnight otherwise it tends to be very tight, acidic and tannic) bringing to mind the tar and musky-ness of tobacco layered with cherry/raspberry hints and a very strong line of sharp grass or lettuce that runs throughout the background of the bouquet. The attack on this wine can be summed up in this short description: a focused red wine that shows its quality and complexity through the perfect silky-smooth layers of flavors and textures that complement each other while never detracting from the intensity of this wine. In all honesty I don’t think I have ever tasted a wine that immediately and thoroughly proves its quality, depth and complexity like this wine does. The attack is supremely focused fruit and spices; cherries and prunes covering chocolate and pepper layered on top of tar and leather, all of them making me wish the flavors would never end. But soon enough they melt into an extremely pleasant mid-palate of smooth, round tannins; pitch perfect astringency and just enough acidity to cut through some of the more fruity characteristics of this wine. The mid-palate fizzles and fades right as the medium-long finish takes hold of my palate, and what a finish it is. The sweet-sour cherry/raspberry flavors come on first mixed with black tea leaves and leather and finally some raisin/plum flavors with hints of vanilla and flowers. The aftertaste is quite pleasant almost refreshing with the plum and flowers sticking around for the duration. This a medium bodied wine that is best served right at room temperature and with a nice big hearty meal or some simple but nicely spiced red sauce pasta dish.

Overall, I went back and forth coming up with a rating for this wine. So here’s my reasoning. This wine nears the top of my budget for a single bottle of wine at 20 dollars a bottle (right now 25 is my self-imposed limit and that wine better knock my socks off). But it easily matches and then slightly surpasses any of the best bottles I’ve sampled since I started this blog (even the Clos Pegase Cabernet Sauvignon which is nearly 10 dollars more expensive than this). So my mind is made up. I give this a great QPR rating and if I did a point rating system based on a 1 out of 5 system this would easily get a 4.5 rating. Simply put this wine is truly a wonderful drinking experience. It has the sharp and acidic moments that Italian wine buffs love but it also has the layered flavors and complex depth that Napa Cab lovers swoon for. In all honesty this is my new Number 1 Wine as far as quality and price are concerned. I highly recommend this bottle. If you love red wine at all then you should try this now.

Mauro Sebaste

2009 Domaine Pignard Beaujolais, France

Color – Ruby red

Nose – Strawberry, cherry, floral notes, honey

Taste – This is another 10 dollar bottle of Beaujolais that Total Wine now carries. I didn’t see this a couple of months ago, but on a recent trip this was something new and I just had to see how it compares to the other Gamay wines I have sampled. It looks the same in the glass, somewhat thin, but upon swirling it isn’t watery and clings to the glass nicely. It smells of light red berries, cherries, flowers and what I can only describe as honey or sugar cane (that sweet scent that smells unprocessed and fresh). The attack is very similar to the Georges Duboeuf Flower Label Beaujolais-Villages that I have fallen in love with; layered tastes of strawberry, sour cherry, grass, salt and flowers. The mid-palate is all soft textures; tannins that effortlessly slip over the tongue, smooth astringency and alcohol that just barely bites. This is a light bodied wine with an even, medium length finish that carries more complexity in flavors; showing sour (but not puckering) cherry, cranberry, lavender and just a touch of black pepper. In my opinion this is a wine to drink chilled and with a light cheese or just by itself. It is perfect slightly chilled and will refresh you on a warm summer day.

Overall, this one is another winner as far as I’m concerned. It’s a good-to-great QPR with flavor and complexity that keep your palate happy. I paired it with a pork roast and it fared well, but mostly sipped glasses of it all by itself. This is a red wine for summer drinking for those of us that don’t like to switch to white wines. You can’t go wrong here, I’d say get this wine on your next visit to the wine store.

2009 Domaine Du Riaz Cote-De-Brouilly, France

Color – Very dark purple

Nose – Strawberry, blueberry, flowers, leaves, bubblegum?

Taste – Again I’ve come back to sample another Beaujolais Cru, this one a Cote de Brouilly that sells for 15 dollars at Total Wine. I didn’t rely on the advice of a member of their staff but read through their offerings and randomly chose this wine. All of Total Wine’s Beaujolais Cru’s are between 13 and 20 dollars, and of those most are rated 90 points by one of the “Wine Journals”. This particular wine is rated 90 or 91 from one such magazine. First off the wine is definitely good. It has wonderful depth of flavor from the beginnings of the first sip. I can taste strawberry, grass, dirt, lavender, dandelion, sage and salt. These flavors simply edge into a mid-palate of perfect alcohol tingle mixed with some sour berry flavors and intense astringency. The finish is medium-to-long and made up mainly of leftover sour berries, salt, floral undertones, and of all things grape. I hesitate to call this wine complex, the flavors are diverse, but the wine itself doesn’t feel complex. It is medium bodied and the aftertaste is pleasantly cherry and grape-ish. But the wine seems a little watery, without any real weight. The astringency is just a little over the top, though the alcohol and sour berries are perfect. I began this wine liking it, but by the end of the bottle this particular bottle of Gamay grapes had soured on me.

Overall, this is an OK QPR, certainly a good wine for the price. Are there better examples of this wine? You bet, and quite a few are much cheaper. I’d take a bottle of Georges Du Beouf Beaujolais-Villages or Morgon Flower Label over this wine and both of those are cheaper. This wine has too much going on and not enough connecting all the dots. The flavors taste great and are the only saving grace for this wine, but it’s not enough for me to buy it again. I’d say pass on this one.

2009 Georges Duboeuf Morgon Flower Label, Beaujolais Cru, France

Color – Garnet red

Nose – Raspberry, flowers, lavender, cut parsley

Taste – How I have come to love the Gamay grape, this is another wine that cements that love even further. First off this wine has a “heavier” mouthfeel than the Beaujolais-Villages I have sampled in the past, but it’s not an overwhelming “heaviness”. The flavor itself shows the wonderful depth and character this wine has. There are the normal raspberry and strawberry flavors, along with some candied cherries and lastly grass, lavender and floral hints. The wine is medium-to-full bodied with a very nice long finish that has soft and supple tannins and perfect alcohol characteristics. The wine itself is smooth and rather cool on the tongue mostly because it tastes better at cooler temperatures. It isn’t overly cloying like some heavier red wines rather it actually serves to refresh me more than anything else, strange for a red wine, but something I have come to appreciate.

Overall, this is a great wine with an equally great QPR. It tastes wonderful; every sip reminds me just how much I have come to value Gamay and the wines that come from the grape. Is this better than the 2009 Beaujolais-Villages of Louis Jadot and Georges Duboeuf I have tried in the past? That’s hard to say, on the one hand this is a heavier wine with more flavor, heat and depth. But on the other hand those wines are 5 dollars cheaper than this wine and nearly this good with nearly the same level of complexity and depth. I think it’s a close tie on this count. This wine is superior to the Beaujolais-Villages I have tried, but just barely. I would be just as happy drinking any of these wines. I recommend that you stock up on this or either of the Beaujolais-Villages. Or you could jump in and try just about any 2009 Beaujolais (except Beaujolais Nouveau) and probably have just as good as an adventure as this one, if not one that surpasses my own. At any rate the 2009 Beaujolais Cru and Beaujolais-Villages are both wines to stock up on and savor often.

Georges Duboeuf Wines

2007 Louis Verge Morgon “Les Pierres Fines”, France

Color – Light, nearly transparent red

Nose – Cherry, blueberry

Taste – I am pretty sure this Morgon is truly from the Gamay grape and an actual Beaujolais Cru though I could be wrong. The bottle does not identify the varietal, however, this wine is quite similar to other wines I have tasted featuring the Gamay grape. That being said this wine does not fare as well as any of those wines. I have read online that 2007 was not a particularly good year for Beaujolais winemakers and this wine definitely shows that. The wine itself needs a chance to breathe, at the very least decant this for 10 minutes, though 30 minutes would be better. If you don’t decant this you will find the wine acidic, bitter, and tannic; three things you don’t want to find in your Beaujolais. After breathing this wine mellows quite nicely and the flavors can actually be deciphered. The wine is light-to-medium in body. There are flavors of cherry, strawberry, and some floral notes as the wine first touches the tongue. These transition quickly into a mid-palate of sour cherry, smoke and grass. Finally the finish is short and features hints of dust and more smoke.

Overall, this wine surprised me. It surprised me where the actual flavor of the wine is concerned. It surprised me that it might actually be a Morgon Beaujolais Cru for under 10 dollars. And it surprised me that it has tannins and acid that actually show up when you drink it. Not all of surprises are good surprises. Sure it’s nice to drink Beaujolais and not have to fork over 15 bucks, but in all honesty I’d rather buy the 8 dollar Georges Debeouf Beaujolais-Villages than this bottle. This wine isn’t bad, I’d drink it again, but not when I want Beaujolais. But if I want a light red that I can pick up for under 8 bucks this is pretty good. It’s not going to win any awards and it’s definitely closer to the” Red Table Wine” on its label than actually being a Beaujolais.

2009 Maipe Cabernet Sauvignon, Argentina

Color - Purple with a red rim

Nose - Dusty cherries, blackberries, grass, cocoa

Taste - I was pleasantly surprised the minute this wine touched my tongue. It's big and bold, has nice texture to it, especially for a 10 dollar wine. It's remarkably complex, I can taste black currant, blackberry, with some bittersweet chocolate in the mid-palate that gives way to a quite long finish and an aftertaste of grass and cherry. The tannins are perfect in this wine as is the alcohol which balances this wine giving it just a small bite right before the finish. Full bodied with surprising depth and character for a wine at this price point, every sip was an adventure. This wine fares better with grilled meats or by itself, don't try to drink it with a lot of other foods they'll play hell with how the tannins, texture and taste of this wine work. It has a nice even mouthfeel and full body. This is a near-perfect Cab in my opinion.

Overall, this wine has GREAT QPR. This easily competes with the 20 dollar Courtney Benham having just a little less complexity but it's a lot less expensive. I'd say it's now reached my top 3 Cabernet Sauvignon's List. This wine is perfect by itself, or with a well thought out dish. Drink this wine all the time.

Chakana Wines

2008 Anakena Malbec Single Vineyard, Chile

Color - Dark red

Nose - Raspberry, flowers, dark cherry, burnt sugar

Taste - I was curious about this Chilean Malbec when I saw it on the shelf at Total Wine. I am glad I gave in to my curiosity, as it is a pretty good Malbec. It is quite smooth with raspberry and cherry fruit flavors and some nearly-sour grass or vegetable flavors on the mid-palate and then a medium-to-long finish that has just a touch too much alcohol heat for what I would have liked. It's a pretty big Malbec if you drink it right after opening, but if given the chance to decant it mellows too much for my taste and subsequently loses it's intense complexity. If consumed right after opening, it holds up quite well to Argentinian Malbecs, but over time loses the big fruit flavors (raspberry, cherry, etc) of the Malbecs I most enjoy. Most of it calms down and can seem to run together as far as flavors go. It's not bad, as it retains its nose and color and is still very drinkable, I just think it's better right out of the bottle.

Overall, this is a good wine, it's just a little too overpriced but worth the expense to try something new. It's better if consumed prior to decanting as it loses too much of it's depth if given too much time to breathe. I think the big flavors it has right out of the bottle, even the alcohol heat, are better than the rather mellow fruits and nearly invisible tannins when it's decanted. It's not great and the QPR is only fair. There are many Malbecs that are better and cheaper, Alamos and Flechas de los Andes are the two that come right to mind, but this is still a good effort and probably the best you will find from Chile. In short, you make the call on this one.

Anakena Wines

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.

Triple Your Pleasure?

Right off the bat I want to warn you that this might be a little long due to the fact that I am reviewing three wines. Also, these wines are reviewed in the order I drank them, which for the most part is spaced out by about two week overall. Now on to the reviews.

2008 Columbia-Crest Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington

Color - Red

Nose - Cherry, oak

Taste - I've had quite a few wines that have oak featured in the nose and a few that had oak flavors to some degree, but this wine is VERY oak-y in both the nose and on the palate. I am of the opinion that those of you that drink this wine will either love this or hate it with no one in between. There is a nice fruit start to this wine and in the mid-palat vanilla-tinged oak comes on rather strong. I would normally dislike this but the oak isn't too strong and doesn't last too long, rather it covers my tongue perfectly. This flavor profile has me particularly intrigued. I'd say this is medium-to-full bodied with a medium finish. Not much heat to this and the tannins are rather subdued through they do show with certain foods. Day two brought hints of coconut, lessened oak-iness and more complexity. This is a keeper in my book. Nothing too complex, but the big oak flavor by itself is rather nice. I'd drink it frequently, especially for 6.99 a bottle. I think it's a winner and a pretty darn good wine. I'd recommend opening and sipping a glass on day one, then enjoying the rest on day two. Gains so much character, depth, and complexity after it is opened. Changes the wine to a must try.

2008 Columbia-Crest H3 Merlot, Washington

Color - Purple with a violet rim

Nose - Black Currant, tobacco, spice, hints of brown sugar

Taste - I can sum this wine up in one word - Intense. Merlot was the first red wine varietal I tried some 12 years ago, and I hated whatever cheap bottle my college buddy had on the particular day I decided to try red wine. Every since then I have shied away from Merlot except in blends. On a whim I picked this up from Costco and I am glad that I did. This wine has everything I've come to love about red wine. It's dry but not cloying. Has an amazing level of astringency. There is a very nice bite of alcohol. The flavor transitions smoothly from currant to spice (cloves I think) mixed with chocolate into a smooth long finish of smoke, dark cherry and leather. This is big and bold , full-bodied, a force to be reckoned with and has very nice tannins that don't hold back but neither do they overwhelm. This is a new favorite of mine. Costco's got it at 10.99 a bottle. I'd say that's great QPR and that this is easily a 20-25 dollar wine. This is a buy it now and drink it often wine.

2008 Columbia-Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington

Color - Dark Red

Nose - Blackberry, forest floor, vanilla

Taste - Nice and dry with dark cherry and hints of vanilla right out of the gate. This being the third Columbia-Crest wine I've had, I have come to expect good things even with their cheapest wines. This wine holds its own without a doubt. The fruit makes way to a nice semi-astringent mid-palate that has sour cherry hints with a tiny aftertaste of vanilla and fruit skins. There are some hints of clean herb, grass and vegetables, but it is right in the background and very pleasant. There is a slightly higher alcohol heat than I'd normally like, but it doesn't make this wine undrinkable. I paired this with meat lasagna and it brought out a lot more fruit and some buttery mouthfeel but lessened the intensity of this wine almost to the point of normalcy. I'd say leave this as a stand alone drinker or with steak, cheese, or other less acidic foods. A good wine with a good QPR. Nothing to rave about, but for the money it could become your "house Red". I'd buy it again because it's consistent and has definite depth without food.

Overall, I would rate each of these wines good to great. The H3 Merlot is a great wine with an amazing QPR. I like the slightly cheaper Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon more than I like the Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, but they are both good wines. As far as consistency of good-to-great product goes, Columbia-Crest comes in second only to Anakena. Thank God I finally found a North American winery that can compete with the South American wineries. I would say go out and buy the H3 by the case, pick up a bottle or two of the Two Vines, and a single of the the Grand Estates (just to try it in case your palate differs that much from mine). I don't think you will be disappointed.

Columbia-Crest Wines

2008 Mil Piedras Malbec, Argentina

Color - Ruby Red

Nose - Blackberry, plum, black cherry

Taste - This is a fruity wine, that's the first opinion I get of this wine. Even though it's fruity, it packs a huge herbal aftertaste, very clean and grassy. The initial flavors are of sour cherries, blackberries and black pepper. This wine has a comfortably smooth texture and a very nice mouthfeel; something silky and smooth and very inviting. I would caution not to drink this wine above 65 degrees because it gains a slightly bitter taste which is not very pleasing to say the least. There is the presence of clean, fruit skin flavors in the aftertaste which is very nice and compelling and makes this wine feel more complex than it is. This is better if consumed by itself, it doesn't fair well with particularly savory food. It can hold up but gets bogged down and gains a strong bitter aftertaste after the attack of the fruit.

Overall, This is very good though fruity by itself. This wine is medium bodied with similarities to Chianti or Sangiovese. Fruity and somewhat complex this a better wine than many at the 15 dollar mark and this is less than that. In one sentence. This is another Argentinian Wonder, buy it now!

Mil Piedras Wines

2009 Redwood Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, California

Color - Purple with a violet rim

Nose - Blueberry, vanilla, grass

Taste - I get dry with lots of raspberry and cherry jam flavors. The tannins are nearly invisible but the wine doesn't taste like juice. It's not particularly warm and the alcohol is rather soft in this Cabernet Sauvignon. I rarely drink white wines so it's rather pleasant when I find a red that goes well with chicken, fish or white sauce pasta. This one does just that and more. The vanilla and berry hints compliment the creamy pasta wonderfully making the wine take on a pleasant, creamy texture and also brings out the bite and heat of the alcohol. The wine is still far from complex and very fruity for a Cab (in my opinion). It is closer to a Malbec or Tempranillo. It's still good and a decent wine for the price, but the Redwood Creek Malbec is a better wine at the same price.

Overall, get the Redwood Creek Malbec if you want to try this brand name, while this is a decent wine to keep around for daily drinking or for parties, there are better Cabernet Sauvignons at much lower prices (Vinos Chilenas). It's nothing fancy but for 5.99 it's a good deal and it does taste pretty with Fettuccine Alfredo.

Redwood Creek Wines

2007 Bodega Flechas de los Andes Gran Malbec, Argentina

Color - Purple

Nose - Blueberry, spice, chocolate

Taste - This is quite dry and nicely fruity and very dense. I would suggest decanting this or letting it sit in your glass for at least 30 minutes before drinking. I like it without decanting, but it is very rich and dense without it. It's not bad. Some people will deride it for being as intense as it is and I think it's closer to a Cabernet Sauvignon or close to the Munoz de Toro Argie Bonarda I've previously reviewed. It's medium-to-full bodied with a long finish. There's a slight bite from the alcohol and a decent level of astringency though it's just on the brink of being too much. It has a rich, full mouthfeel and a lot of the alcohol hits on the end of the palate right before the finish. The aftertaste is clean and grassy. There's a hint of vanilla on the finish but it's very subtle. I missed it on the first few sips. This is a great wine to pair with spicy Mexican dishes. The fruit really jumps to the surface and the wine is big and robust alongside the heat of the chili peppers.

Overall, this is the type of wine that I absolutely love to drink. Big, bold maybe just a little overbearing and rich, but full of flavor. For 11 dollars this is a great example of really good QPR (Quality to Price Ratio). The Wine Advocate gave this particular wine 92 points. I'd agree with those numbers, buy it now!

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

Two Wines for the price of...too much money.

I'm breaking the mold a little bit here and reviewing two wines tonight. Both of them from the same winery, one Malbec and one Cabernet Sauvignon. Without further ado, we will start with the Malbec.

2009 Espuela del Gaucho Malbec, Argentina

Color -Ruby red with a strawberry rim

Nose - Blackberry and something herbaceous that I can't define

Taste - Right off the bat this wine is not as sweet as I'd expected for a Malbec. I'm used to drinking Malbecs that are a little bit cheaper or around the same price point, but much more fruit forward and quite sweet. This has hints of dark berries and round almost well-defined tannins. It's dry, medium-bodied with a decently long finish. It has just enough heat from the alcohol to tantalize the mouth as the wine leaves my tongue, but not enough to be unpleasant. By no means is this a complex wine. It's not the normal Malbec I'm used to at this price, more of a light Cabernet Sauvignon. It's enjoyable by itself though it can take on a slightly tangy or sour flavor in the mid-palate. It leaves my mouth with a very clean feeling similar to when I chewed on grass stalks as a kid. It's a mediocre Malbec, though a decent enough run of the mill red wine.

Overall, it's an ok wine but drink it when you're in the mood for a light Cabernet or a Merlot. It's not anything special but decent at 8.99 on sale, though I'd never pay full price for this wine. Go for the Mil Piedras Malbec for 14.99 or the Redwood Creek Malbec for 6.99. Leave this for someone else to try.


On to the second wine...

2008 Espuela del Gaucho Cabernet Sauvignon, Argentina

Color - Dark red

Nose -Sweet berries, raisins, sweet grapes

Taste - Perhaps the aroma of raisins pervades this to the point that it overwhelms the flavor as well as the nose, but that's the dominant taste I get.Very sweet, nearly over-ripe grapes and raisins. There's heat from the alcohol and the wine is medium-bodied with a long finish. Flavor-wise this wine is a fruit bomb. There's no depth, no complexity, no layers. The flavor of sweet grapes/raisins overrides absolutely everything. This wine is halfway decent when paired with dessert more than dinner. The extreme sweetness of the raisin flavor is dampened with chocolate and there is a very subtle leather/tobacco flavor that comes through. Again this is nothing spectacular, a very one-dimensional wine. This wine is nothing to get crazy about it's on the lower end of the spectrum. Very mediocre and rather plain.

Overall, this wine is nothing to rave about, its on the lower end of the spectrum. As much as I disliked the Malbec from Espuela del Gaucho, this is even more boring. I'd be hard pressed to find a more mundane Chilean wine. You could be blindfolded when picking out a bottle at the supermarket and 9 times out of 10 you'd get a more complex, more well rounded bottle than this. Pass on this one, while it's not bad, it's so "blah" it's nearly worse than bad.

Espuela del Gaucho Wines

2009 Concha y Toro Casillero Del Diablo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile

Color - Ruby red

Nose - Black currant, blackberry, oak

Taste - My first impression of this wine(from this tasting, I've had this wine quite a few times in the past), is that it has a quick cherry sweetness to it which fades to a pleasant, light vegetal flavor reminiscent of grass, oak and mint on the finish. It has a decent medium-to-long finish with a mild bite right before it fades from the palate. There are subtle undertones of black pepper and spice, as well as minute flavors of green bell peppers. All of these spice/herbaceous flavors are just under the surface of the fruit and fade rather quickly. This particular wine is lighter than most Cabs I am used to drinking. It's good but uneventful, not complex at all, but not boring. It's definitely more medium-bodied, even leaning more to a light Cabernet. The wine really shines when it's paired with fatty meats or heavy cream sauces. The fats pull out the tannins and flavors of this wine that otherwise go unnoticed. It's not a great Cab, pretty ordinary, but you can pick it up at almost any supermarket so it's readily available if you need a decent Cab to go with your steak dinner.

Overall, I'd love to rate this as one of my favorite wines because I truly do appreciate Concha y Toro wines, but I really can't. It's a good wine, it's probably priced about 4 or 5 dollars too high, but if you get on sale for 8.99, it's a decent bargain. I would say pick it up for those summer grilling days, but you can just as easily find a better bottle for just a few dollars more. Try the Altera Cabernet Sauvignon for about the same price, or Courtney Benham Cabernet Sauvignon for just a few dollars more.

Concha y Toro Wines

2009 Bolla Valpolicella, Italy

Color - Light red with a near pink rim

Nose - Slight cherry, clean herbaceous hints

Taste - Having never had this particular style of wine, I didn't know what to expect, but right off the bat two things hit me. One, this wine is much lighter than I am used to drinking. Two, this wine has an interesting sour cherry flavor that permeates every sip. The wine is light colored and light in body, it doesn't hang around on your palate after you've swallowed though the sour cherry flavor stays with me for several long seconds before it fades. There are hints of grass, herbs or light mint as the wine fades on the tongue and nearly a pucker factor. Though the wine is sour it is still fruity and not particularly dry. The vegetal flavors are quite pleasant in the wine almost enough to balance the sourness. The wine is very smooth as far as mouthfeel goes, the tannins are nearly lost (in my opinion due to the fact that your mouth is dealing with so much sour cherry). It's young and kind of muddled, but not necessarily bad, just different. I usually stick with Chianti or Sangiovese if I purchase and Italian red wine, I tried this out because it was cheap and the back label made it sound like something my mouth would enjoy. There is a slight bite from the alcohol, but not a lot of heat from it, nothing.

Overall, this is a difficult wine for my palate to peg. My gut instinct is to find a different brand of this wine before I discount Valpolicella altogether, but to be quite honest I don't really like the wine all that much. I'm not fond of light red wines. This wine reminds me more of a sour apple Sauvignon Blanc more than it reminds me of a Chianti or other light red. Even the aroma has more in common with the few dry/sour whites I've come to enjoy. It's not an unpleasant wine just not what I would pick. I would hazard a guess and say a person looking to transition from white-to-red might enjoy this wine as an ice breaker into red wines. For the price I'd pick up a Chianti or Tempranillo or even a decent red table wine before I'd buy this again.

Bolla Wines