2007 Pascual Toso Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Argentina

Colorific…Garnet red fading to a rust hued rim

Scentuous…Blackberry, boysenberry, mint, vanilla

Taste-osity…While I was out and about in part of the Phoenix Metro area that I normally don’t get to, I decided to stop into a Costco and check out their wine selection. I am glad that I stopped, I found two Argentinean Cabs, and this is the first of those. I highly advise decanting this wine for at least an hour or using a Vinturi. This wine is rather tight and quite tannic until it gets some air; but it opens up nicely once it’s been given a chance to breathe. The attack is very fruit focused with flavors of blackberry, black cherry, black plum and currant with delicate hints of oak, coffee and brown sugar in the background. These flavors while being very dominant are also rather subtle; what I mean by that is that these are very present and easily defined flavors but they are also balanced with one another and very silky on the palate. They effortlessly fade into a nicely muted mid-palate of soft tannins and gentle alcohol acidity; the first leaves the mouth feeling cool and the clean and the second sends soft tingles and heat across the tongue and gums. These textures drift away as a long finish sets in with pleasant black plum and oak flavors followed by tobacco, vanilla and black cherry and finally light tinges of anise and burnt sugar. This wine is a full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon; a true sampling of South American genius when it comes to the magic of winemaking.

Overall, this is why I enjoy South American wines so much. A perfect example of a sub-15 dollar Cabernet Sauvignon that can compete with a 20 dollar bottle. While this isn’t as complex as some wines I’ve sampled at this price, it’s more balanced and very, very smooth. I believe I paid 13 dollars for this bottle and it’s well worth that price. What makes this wine so good is how easily it sips without a pairing of food. Some Cabernet Sauvignons need food to truly make them standout, while this wine shows its quality either with food or without food. Therefore, I give this a great QPR and must recommend you purchase this particular wine immediately. I know that my local supermarket carries the Pascual Toso Cabernet Sauvignon, though not the reserve. I haven’t seen this at Total Wine & More, but it’s possible they do sell this. Either way find this wine, buy it and sit back and sip away at a wonderful bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pascual Toso

2009 Kalbarri Cabernet Sauvignon, Australia

Color – Ruby red

Nose – Raspberry, oak

Taste – The fact that the nose was so muted had me wondering if I’d gotten a dud of a wine. That and the fact that this wine features a “cute” drawing of a bird really had me wondering. But when I took my first sip, I was overjoyed to be proven wrong. The nose might be subdued, but the wine itself is not. It’s not a big, bold Cab rather this is a medium bodied Cab that features some very different flavors and textures. First off, I get some sour cranberries and sweet/sour red currants those fade to a nice mid-palate of roses and hints of mint, then there is a smooth transition to the medium-long finish that is filled once again with cranberries and some oaky black pepper flavors. The wine is a lot less “weighty” than most Cabernet Sauvignons, which works here. I was nicely surprised by the delicate flavors and textures rather than disappointed. This would go great with pizza or a burger maybe even a roast beef sandwich. It’s a nice change of pace from the “big” reds I normally favor, plus it’s priced right.

Overall, I would say this is a surprisingly good wine for the money. At 6 bucks you won’t find a lot of stellar wines and this isn’t stellar, but it is so far off the beaten path of what 6 dollar Cabs are that it’s refreshing and I will definitely buy it again. I would say pick this up for a sipping wine or as a way to introduce newcomers to red wines (though make sure to tell them that this isn’t a normal Cabernet Sauvignon). Good QPR, different enough to please my palate, and something I can enjoy just about any time of the day.

Kalbarri Wines

2008 Anakena Syrah Single Vineyard, Chile

Color – Dark purple

Nose – Blackberry, black currant, brown sugar

Taste – I rarely drink Syrah except when it is in a red blend, but when I saw this I was intrigued and had to pick it up even though the previous Anakena Single Vineyard varietals had been more miss than hit. However, this wine turned out rather good, at least on my palate it seemed of superior flavor and quality. First off the wine is pretty big, it looks big in color, it has an even bigger nose, and the flavor is there to back up the “big-ness” of both the color and nose. I taste dark cherries, blackberries, and come black currant flavors, those smoothly transition into a mid-palate of eucalyptus and mint, then the wine finishes quite long with warm flavors of oak, tobacco, and cacao. The wine is full bodied with a very good mouthfeel, the bite from the alcohol is in perfect proportion with the fruits, and the wine is just astringent enough to give you a slight pucker but one that is nice and pleasant. This is the first of the Anakena Single Vineyard’s that I think tastes better after decanting and at slightly warmer temperature. The flavors actually open up nicely as the wine comes to room temperature, and the heat of the alcohol as well as a slight spice flavor enter the mid-palate; giving this wine a nice depth.

Overall, I would say this is a good QPR for this wine, though I do admit that I don’t purchase a lot of Syrah and I don’t have a lot of other wines to compare this too. However, if I merely compare this to what I like in other varietals, how much I enjoy big, bold wines, and the body, finish, and depth then this wine makes the grade. It’s not in my top five wines, but it’s a solid offering and one I would seek out if I were in the mood for a Syrah. I would say this one passes my tests and is a must try.

Anakena Wines

2008 Anakena Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard, Chile

Color - Nice even red

Nose - Creamy blackberry, plum, mint

Taste - Initially this has a very nice flavor of currant and blackberry with some cedar in the mid-palate and then hints of vanilla and pepper on it's long finish. The tannins are definitely present in this wine though they aren't too overpowering. There is an even level of astringency that coats my gums and teeth. The cedar notes and vanilla are quite pleasant, a mix I've found in a few wines and have grown to like them.There is only a small amount of vegetal flavors or heat from the alcohol. I wouldn't call this bland or subdued, just a rather mellow Cabernet Sauvignon. I enjoyed it, just not as much as I thought I would. It has some small complexities, but is more a "safe" wine than a big bold red wine.

Overall, this is kind of a letdown as far as QPR and comparison to other Anakena wines go (at least for my palate). If the Indo wines weren't so good, this would be a pretty good wine, but at several dollars more than the Anakena Indo and in my opinion, having far less complexity and depth than the Indo; I'd say pass on this. That is however, based on my palate that craves big, bold red wine flavors, and lots of spice box aroma. For a very clean, easy drinking red wine, that is pleasant and smooth, this is probably one of the best out there. It all depends on your perspective.

2008 Concha y Toro Trio Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah/Cabernet Franc, Chile

Color - Red with a nearly black core

Nose - Black currant, oak, and possibly mint

Taste - This wine is why I fell in love with Concha y Toro a few years ago. The Casillero del Diablo wines are ok, though some would rate them higher. In my opinion this wine is perfect for its price and perfect to drink just about any time. There are big berry flavors right from the gate, but even more than that I get smooth tannins and a nice sour grape flavor. It is medium-to-full bodied with a medium finish and a nice bite from the alcohol. This paired great with rotisserie chicken with cheese and potato casserole. I get some intense pepper spice on the aftertaste and the mouthfeel is incredible with food. Big, juicy and bold it makes my mouth want more. The tannins will do well with just about any meat, making a fine compliment to your meal.

Overall, this is a buy it now wine. I got it at Costco for 10 dollars and that's a great QPR. I would say this is the best wine for the most people I have ever tasted. From wine snobs to wine newbies this wine will probably be perfect for them. It has just the right amount of everything to keep almost everyone on their toes and not too much of any one thing to chase anyone off. It's right in the middle, the perfect starter wine, but also a wine that veteran wine lovers will like. I would say go out and stock up on this one. I will definitely purchase this wine in the future, it rates in my top 10 wines.

Concha y Toro Wines

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 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