Today I am tasting the 2008 Porta Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon from the Aconcagua Valley of Chile. Porta is part the VC Family Estates which is a member of the Corpora Group. I have previously had the 2009 Porta Merlot. This Cabernet Sauvignon is in their Reserva level and was purchased for under $9. I bought this before the massive earthquake hit Chile, but haven’t seen any reports of damage to this winery. So I assume it will remain available and similarly priced. Have you heard anything about it?
Color
In the glass it is a nice dark purple.
Aroma
There is a lot of mint on the nose of this wine. I also detect a lot of black currant notes. There is also a cedar component and a hint of basil. But the dark fruit dominates right now.
Flavor
On the attack there is some sweet black cherries mixed with a vegetable component. I can’t quite name the vegetable that is giving it the green influence. In the mid-palate, there are sour cherries and raspberries. It finishes with beautiful silky tannins. The fruit on the finish lingers for a long time. For a wine with a 14.0% alcohol level the fruit is definitely keeping it in check. This is well made and begs to be paired with beef tenderloin.
Rating
I like this wine a lot and think it is a very good value. Keep in mind that it isn’t heavily oaked nor is it over extracted fruit. It may be a little sweet for those looking for a Old World style wine, but for my palate it is a good match. I rate it 90 points.
Have you tried it? Anyone tried their Carmenere Reserva?
