Archive: Chile: Cabernet Sauvignon & Blends
Casa Lapostolle
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Rapel Valley ($12). Simple but tasty, with fresh red cherry and berry flavors touched with sweet spice and fresh herbal notes. Ready to drink now. (Robyn’s Picks 07/07)
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Cuvee Alexandre Apalta Vineyard ($23). Delicious – one of the best of the tasting, and at a great price. Strikes a nice balance between elegance and ripeness, with focused blackberry and black plum fruit layered with dark chocolate, clove, coffee and just a touch of mint. Generous, plush finish. Ready to drink now. (Robyn’s Picks 07/07)
2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Central Valley Xplorador ($8). Bright, juicy and full of red cherry and berry fruit, with a toasty vanilla and herb-laced finish. A good burger wine. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area. (2010-10-19)
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Marques de Casa Concha ($22). Sleek blackberry and black currant aromas and flavors are layered with sweet tobacco and dark chocolate notes, with fresh mint emerging on the plummy finish. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area. (2011-04-14)
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Central Valley Casillero del Diablo Reserve ($11). Smooth and ripe, with black currant and berry flavors accented with chocolate and toasty oak. Easy to like. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area. (2010-04-29)
Dallas Conte
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Rapel Valley ($10). Jammy blackberry fruit is laced with mint, milk chocolate and cracked black pepper. A value winner for those looking for this kind of jammy style. Ready to drink now. (Weekend Wine 02/05)
1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley ($10). Another winner from Chile. Silky smooth ripe fruit, plenty of oak aging, and a wonderful roasted espresso bean layer of flavor that compliments the cherry and chocolate main players. Great tannins, lingering finish. Just wonderful! (Robyn’s Picks, 04/00)
De Martino
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley ($15). Nice, with its black cherry and berry fruit laced with roasted herbs, anise and smoky oak notes. Moderate finish. Ready to drink now. (Robyn’s Picks 07/07)
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley ($15). Loads of structure here — especially at this price, with deep blackberry and cherry fruit accented with wet earth, leather and smoky oak. Ready to drink now. (Weekend Wine 08/06)
Emiliana 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Central Valley Natura ($11). Ripe raspberry and blackberry aromas and flavors are accented with roasted nut and toasty vanilla notes, with a fruity, fresh finish. Ready to do drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area. (2009-06-27)
Los Vascos
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley ($10). A lot of wine for the money, offering sturdy black cherry and black raspberry fruit accented with dried herbs, aromatic baking spices and nutty oak. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. Locate this wine online or in your area. (2010-10-19)
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Reserve ($20). Loads of fresh herbal notes — sage, mint — accent juicy red cherry and plum flavors, with light toast and earthy notes through the medium-bodied, somewhat rustic finish. Ready to drink now. Locate this wine online or in your area. (2010-04-29)
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Reserve ($19). A great value — and widely available — this Cab offers aromatic, mouthfilling blackberry and plum fruit accented with cocoa, smoke, herbs and toasty oak. Long, focused finish. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. (Weekend Wine 07/05)
Luis Felipe Edwards
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua ($8). Starts with sweet red fruit bouquet, with medium bodied red cherry, plum and spice notes. Picks up a distinct bubblegum note at the tail end that is slightly cloying. Ready to drink now. (Wine Tastings, 10/03)
2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Gran Reserva ($13). Twice as good as the 2001 Estate Cab (above) for just five bucks more. Dark, spicy fruit bouquet leads to medium-bodied black cherry and plum fruit with smooth spices on the pleasantly lingering finish. Ready to drink now. (Wine Tastings, 10/03)
Montes
1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Curico Valley Montes Alpha ($22). Racy and sexy, this Cab delivers ripe plum, raisin, and toasted nut flavors on a firm tannin frame. The finish is a knock-out. Wow. (Robyn’s Picks, 04/00)
1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Curico Valley ($10). This one is a great quaff – juicy cherry and vanilla flavors are clean and straightforward, with just enough clove to add balance. Would be great with a burger. Drink now. (Robyn’s Picks, 04/00)
MontGras
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Viña Ninquén ($47). Full-bodied, with concentrated blackberry and black plum fruit accented with aromatic mocha, toast and fresh herbal notes that linger on the focused, lingering finish. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. Locate this wine online or in your area. (2008-12-31)
2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Syrah Colchagua Valley Reserva ($12). Nice intensity, balancing earthy and spicy accents against red cherry, currant and toasty herbal notes. Not your everyday simple quaff. Ready to drink now. (Weekend Wine 08/05)
2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Reserva ($12). Ripe plum and blackberry fruit are smooth and laced with herb, chocolate and toasty oak — all on a supple, nicely integrated frame, finishing long and lush. A heck of a deal. Ready to drink now and over the next year or two. (Weekend Wine 07/05)
(oops) 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Valle Central ($12). A little funky earth on the nose, but then ripe bing cherry and chocolate flavors dominate, with a bit of spicy vanilla on the finish. Ready to drink now. (Bargain Wine 10/07)
Santa Rita
2004 Triple C Maipo Valley ($56). Blockbuster stuff, with rich black currant and blackberry flavors accented with sweet tobacco, earth, mocha and exotic spices. Nothing shy about this wine, from start to full-bodied finish, with some definite grip throughout. Ready to drink now and over the next four or five years. (Splurge Wine 12/07)
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Rapel Valley 120 ($8). Easy drinking, with simple black cherry and spice flavors that “go down smooth.” Ready to drink now. (Robyn’s Picks 07/07)
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Medalla Real Special Reserve ($19). Just an outstanding value, with concentrated, beautifully structured blackberry, currant and blueberry fruit laced with earthy dark chocolate, espresso and roasted herbal notes that fold into a long, deep finish. Ready to drink now and over the next three or four years. (Drinks with Les Dames 02/08)
2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Reserva ($11). Slightly clunky, but still tasty, with plum, blackberry, vanilla and spicy oak flavors that are easy to like. Ready to drink now. (Robyn’s Picks 07/07)
2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Casa Real ($61). Pretty and aromatic, with blackberry, sweet tobacco, clove, vanilla and a touch of earth on a smooth, supple frame. Lingering finish. Should age nicely. Ready to drink now and over the next three or four years. (Drinks with Les Dames 02/08)
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Casa Real ($56). A great example of how well Santa Rita’s upper-tier wines can age, this one has smoothed out a bit and has taken on a lusher quality than when it was first released. Rich, ripe blackberry and currant flavors, with roasted coffee, bittersweet chocolate and sweet, smoky earthy notes that fold together on a long finish. Ready to drink now and over the next four or five years. (Drinks with Les Dames 02/08)
1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Casa Real ($56). The fruit is diminishing here, and it definitely offers an aged character, but this is still a lovely wine. With smoky black plum and concentrated berry fruit layered with sweet tobacco, nutmeg and other baking spices, dark chocolate and just a touch of dried herbs. Moderate but complex finish. An impressive example of high-end Chilean Cabernet and how it can age. Ready to drink now. (Robyn’s Picks 07/07)
1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Medalla Real Special Reserve ($15). Supple red cherry and plum fruit are studded with touches of spice, toasty oak, and light vanilla in this Chilean Cab. Slightly simple, but still enjoyable. Ready to drink now. (Weekend Wine, 02/03)
1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Reserve ($11). Although I love a good Chilean Cabernet, I cannot say that this was one of my favorites. Not enough going on, at this point anyway. Simple cherry and currant flavors, a slightly bitter tarragon-like note, and not much happening on the finish. A few years of cellaring might help open things up, though. At this price, might be a risk worth taking. Try again in 2002. (Weekend Wine, 05/00)
Veramonte 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Casablanca Valley Reserva ($10). Smooth black cherry and black cherry are laced with aromatic toasty oak and spicy vanilla. Medium bodied with a long finish. Ready to drink now. (Weekend Wine 03/07)
Vina La Reserva de Caliboro
2004 Erasmo Maule Valley ($27). Deep and intense, with focused blackberry and plum fruit laced with cigar box, spices and toasty oak. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (30%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). Ready to drink now. (Robyn’s Picks 07/07)
2001 Erasmo Maule Valley ($30). From Col d’Orcia’s Chile vineyards, this debut Bordeaux blend is tightly wound, offering wild berry and plum fruit flavors along with leather and earth accents that carry through the finish. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. (Italian Connection 06/05)
Vina MontGras
2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Syrah Colchagua Valley Reserva ($10). We quite enjoyed this unusual blend. Ripe red cherry, black currant, spice and a hint of white pepper meld into a smooth, sweet oak finish. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. (Winery Spotlight, 10/02)
2000 Quatro Colchagua Valley ($13). Smoky, tobacco character dominates the bouquet of this blend of nearly equal parts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Merlot and Malbec. Ripe red cherry and tart blackberry fruit with more smoke on finish. Finishes a bit short. Ready to drink now. (Winery Spotlight, 10/02)
Vina Santa Carolina 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Reserva de Familia ($15). Medium bodied, balanced, delicious, offering black currant and plum fruit laced with mocha, toast, tobacco and vanilla notes through the plummy finish. Ready to drink now and over the next 2-3 years. Locate this wine online or in your area. (2010-03-22)
Vina Tarapaca
1999 Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Gran Reserva ($15). Lots of tannic structure, but with an elegant overall profile — this is a really good Cabernet value. Rich blackberry and tobacco bouquet introduces medium-bodied black fruit with cracked pepper, smoke and rich tobacco notes. Food-friendly acidity. Elegant, lingering finish. Ready to drink now and over the next two or three years. (Weekend Wine, 12/03)
1996 Cabernet Sauvignon Maipo Valley Reserve ($7). I especially appreciated the smoky, gamey edge to this wine – it takes what might have otherwise been a rather simple, if juicy, wine and makes it more complex and balanced. Nicely done. (Robyn’s Picks, 04/00)
Viu Manent
2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Reserve ($12). Spearmint and sweet tobacco aromas and flavors accent concentrated black currant and cherry fruit, picking up a touch of black pepper on the full finish. Would stand up nicely to grilled meats. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. (Bargain Wine 10/04)
1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley Reserve ($10). Oooh yummy! This one shows a great variety of flavor – very sophisticated, especially for this price. Prune and red plum mix into the fruity bouquet, with layers of chocolate covered cherries, fennel, and mint. The elegantly lingering finish rounds out this very impressive package. Great now; should age nicely. (Robyn’s Picks, 04/00)
1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley ($8). This “non-reserve” version of Viu Manent’s 97 Cab is the kid brother to the reserve – very similar flavors and structure, just on a slightly smaller level. Drinking very well now. (Robyn’s Picks, 04/00)
