2007 Finca Flichman Paisaje de Tupungato, 70% Malbec/27% Caberet Sauvignon/3% Merlot, Argentina

Color - Dark red, nearly black

Nose - Blackberry, plum, molasses, alcohol

Taste - This wine is HUGE! Big, bold dark fruit flavors. Think of just about any dark fruit and that flavor is present here. Blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, plum; the list goes on and on. Normally all of that fruit would chase me away, but the heat from the alcohol and very lively tannins come in during the mid-palate and finish and level this wine out quite a lot. I will say the alcohol is just a little too much in this wine and can come on too strong especially during the finish. The wine has a lovely mouthfeel, velvety and spicy at the same time. It's a full bodied red with a definite "weight" to it that you can feel on the tongue. The astringency is a little lacking or perhaps covered up by the alcohol, which is a shame.

Overall, I'd say take a pass on this big, red wine. The QPR here is only fair. I was hoping this would be similar to the Anakena Ona or Concha y Toro Trio. While this wine is big and bold like both of those, it's too alcohol-forward to be rated like the Ona or Trio. If you want a good red blend from South America try on of those two and pass this one by, while it's not a bad wine, it's not the best out there and it's price is higher than the decidedly better competition.

Finca Flichman 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.