BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine
BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine
BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine
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87<br />
Korta 2009 Estate Bottled Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon (Lontué Valley);<br />
$8. Dark, fruity and common in every way, but<br />
sometimes that’s all you need. The wine has a<br />
clean, ordinary cassis and berry nose followed by<br />
a juicy palate with dark fruit flavors that show<br />
accents of vanilla, spice and chocolate. Totally<br />
drinkable and likable. Imported by MJM<br />
Imports. Best Buy. —M.S.<br />
87<br />
Veo 2008 Última Reserve Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon (Colchagua Valley);<br />
$10. Sweet and chunky to start, with vanilla and<br />
red fruit aromas. The flavors are raspberry and<br />
cherry, and while it’s kind of short on complexity,<br />
it more than gets the job done for $10. Clean,<br />
fresh and something you can drink without a lot<br />
of pondering. Imported by Prestige <strong>Wine</strong> Group.<br />
Best Buy. —M.S.<br />
87<br />
William Cole 2008 Columbine Special<br />
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon<br />
(Colchagua Valley); $18. Big, muscular and<br />
herbal, with olive, spice and driving black fruit<br />
aromas. The acidity is high-toned and elevated, so<br />
the palate is jumpy and electric, with raspberry<br />
and currant flavors. Delivers a jolt and tang, but<br />
overall the flavors and harmony are good.<br />
Imported by Global Vineyard Importers. —M.S.<br />
87<br />
Undurraga 2008 Aliwen Reserva<br />
Cabernet Sauvignon-Carmenère<br />
(Rapel Valley); $13. Thick and meaty on the<br />
nose, with aromas of cola and spice. The palate<br />
has a tight structure, some sharpness and spicy,<br />
braised-fruit and tobacco flavors. Finishes mostly<br />
in the spice zone, with dried fruits and a spot of<br />
leftover acidic bite. Good for a basic Cabernet-<br />
Carmenère blend. Imported by Undurraga<br />
USA. —M.S.<br />
86<br />
Maniña 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon<br />
(Central Valley); $13. Rubber and<br />
black fruits carry the standard nose, then comes a<br />
zesty palate with upfront acids and related zingy<br />
berry fruit flavors. Despite a touch of scour, this<br />
brings freshness and a clean, tasty fruit level. Perfectly<br />
good for Central Valley Cabernet.<br />
Imported by <strong>Wine</strong>ry Exchange. —M.S.<br />
86<br />
MontGras 2009 Reserva Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon-Syrah (Colchagua Valley);<br />
$12. Dark, baked, warm and spicy, with a<br />
touch of soupiness but nothing too scary or dominating.<br />
The palate is thorough and fairly lush,<br />
with black fruit flavors accented by spice and<br />
baked notes. Finishes slightly burnt notes, with<br />
licorice and ripe softness. Imported by Palm Bay<br />
International. —M.S.<br />
86<br />
Peñalolen 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon<br />
(Maipo Valley); $18. Full and<br />
concentrated but also a little flat and pruney. This<br />
wine pushes ripeness to the max level, and the<br />
result is a heavy, tannic Cab with a lot of power<br />
and flavors of prune, chocolate, molasses and fig.<br />
Thick and chunky on the finish, too. Soft and<br />
dense enough to drink now through 2011.<br />
Imported by Global Vineyard Importers. —M.S.<br />
86<br />
Viña el Aromo 2007 Barrel Selection<br />
(Maule Valley); $19. Fiery<br />
cherry/berry aromas mix with leather, herbal<br />
scents and mocha. The palate is angular and<br />
mildly sharp, with zesty red fruit, pepper<br />
and herbal flavors. A driving, acid-propelled<br />
blend of Cabernet Sauvignon along with Carmenère<br />
and Petit Verdot. Imported by Simone<br />
International. —M.S.<br />
86<br />
Viña el Aromo 2008 <strong>Wine</strong>maker’s<br />
Selection Cabernet-Syrah (Maule<br />
Valley); $16. Starts out smoky and savory, with<br />
aromas of jerky and baked black fruits. The palate<br />
is fairly juicy and lively, with a good feel and then<br />
flavors of cherry and roasted plum. Tastes a bit<br />
roasted as well on the finish despite some lingering<br />
juicy acidity and snap. Imported by Simone<br />
International. —M.S.<br />
85<br />
Veo 2009 Grande Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon (Colchagua Valley); $7.<br />
Bargain hunters should like this mildly medicinal<br />
Cab because it’s got raspberry and black fruit<br />
character and only minor faults, i.e. slight medicinality.<br />
Otherwise it’s fruity, steady and<br />
respectable, with good body and mouthfeel.<br />
Imported by Prestige <strong>Wine</strong> Group. Best<br />
Buy. —M.S.<br />
84<br />
Indomita 2008 Duette Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon-Carmenère (Maipo Val-<br />
ley); $20. There’s a lot of individuality to this<br />
wine, just not all good. The nose has cigar box<br />
and over-the-top sweet and baked aromas, yet the<br />
palate has a grating, acidic feel but also spice and<br />
raisiny flavors. All of it makes you more confused<br />
than confident; it has its good traits but seems<br />
out of whack. Imported by David Milligan Selections.<br />
—M.S.<br />
84<br />
Undurraga 2008 Aliwen Reserva<br />
Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah (Rapel<br />
Valley); $13. Leathery and horsey on the nose,<br />
with cherry fruit and warmth. The palate has<br />
some edge and bite to it, with lean tannins in support<br />
of generic raspberry and standard herbal flavors.<br />
Quick and cleansing on the finish, with<br />
another wave of herbal flavor. Imported by<br />
Undurraga USA. —M.S.<br />
84<br />
Vistamar 2006 Gran Reserva<br />
Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah<br />
(Maipo Valley); $17. Oaky stuff, with sawdust,<br />
roasted fruit and dark, floral berry aromas. The<br />
palate is surprisingly high in acidity and choppy,<br />
but lumbering oak adds some heft to the berry<br />
fruit and cola flavors that lead the charge. A bit<br />
smacking and medicinal, and herbal to boot.<br />
Imported by Vistamar USA. —M.S.<br />
83<br />
Tamaya 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon<br />
(Limarí Valley); $13. A cool-climate<br />
CS with briar and sharpness from the get-go.<br />
There’s also herbal red fruit aromas the precede<br />
a pointed palate of cherry, raspberry and acidity.<br />
Pretty good flavors but hardly any softness, texture<br />
or finesse. Imported by Ecosur Group,<br />
LLC. —M.S.<br />
82<br />
Indomita 2008 Reserva Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon (Maipo Valley); $15.<br />
Odd and unfamiliar, like most wines from<br />
Indomita. The nose is off the grid and grainy,<br />
while the palate is flat, heavy and tastes of herbal,<br />
sweet, vegetal berry fruits. Candied on the finish<br />
and unconvincing. Imported by David Milligan<br />
Selections. —M.S.<br />
82<br />
Pacifico Sur 2006 Reserve Cabernet<br />
Sauvignon-Merlot (Curicó Valley);<br />
$15. Vegetal is how I’d describe it, with<br />
strong aromas of tomato leaf, olive, briar and wet<br />
earth. The palate is snappy to the point of being<br />
sharp, and the flavors are rooty yet pointed, with<br />
notes of baked cherry and plum showing up. A<br />
very herbal, stripped-back type of wine. Imported<br />
by Rio Joe’s Brands Inc. —M.S.<br />
82<br />
Sun Valley 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon<br />
(Lontué Valley); $8. Cherryberry<br />
aromas mix with a hint of vinegar and<br />
cleanser to create a sketchy, foreboding bouquet.<br />
The wine is a little blocky in the mouth, with both<br />
weedy-herbal and plum-berry flavors. Finishes<br />
with tolerable but noticeable bitterness and burn.<br />
Imported by MJM Imports. —M.S.<br />
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