Color

In the glass this wine is an attractive dark purple in color.

Aroma

I love the strong nose of this wine. It has some funky earthy notes when first opened. After breathing there are notes of raspberry and mint showing. Solid nose of a Malbec.

Flavor

The palate starts with a sweet attack of raspberry and blackberry. This is followed by black cherry on the mid-palate with a great cherry note in the 3rd quarter. It finishes just a tad hot with some red fruit. I don’t find this wine to be oaky and I enjoyed the finish. The tannins are mild, but the fruit doesn’t come across as a heavy syrup style. I found it to be a medium bodied wine. Although it doesn’t strike me as being a complete fruit bomb, this wine is certainly New World.

Rating

I enjoyed this wine and recommend it as an easy to drink red wine with some complexity. I rate it 89 points.

Have you tried it? What flavors and aromas did you detect? Interestingly, I didn’t enjoy the 2009 as much as when I tried the 2008 in the past. I don’t believe the vintages differed that much, so I suspect my palate is changing. Have you noted any change in your palate through the years?

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Color

In the glass this wine is a dark garnet in color. It seems a bit darker than others, perhaps due to the Syrah.

Aroma

There is a raspberry component on the nose combined with a bit of mint. I also detect the oak as a cedar note. However the fruit on the nose is quite strong and so the oak is kept in check.

Flavor

On the attack this wine is not the fruit bomb the nose led me to expect. There are some blackberry notes at the beginning but then the mid-palate is good with vegetable components which I appreciate. The finish has a nice length and shows some sour cherry and dark chocolate. Although the alcohol level is high this wine is not hot and remains relatively smooth throughout. It should complement bold food well. It is medium-bodied.

Rating

I like this Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a solid wine and really works well if you are looking for a dry wine. I rate it 88 points.

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Color

In the glass this wine is a medium garnet red in color.

Aroma

On the nose this wine exhibits a very good earthy component combined with ripe blackberry notes. In addition there is a hint of cloves and some cedar. Not a bad nose but it definitely indicates a New World style.

Flavor

On the attack I detect lots of dark cherry notes which are quite sweet. The mid-palate has some sour cherry joining the sweet fruit and the finish is long with medium tannins. I found the finish to be a little too hot. Considering that this wine is 13.5% alcohol, I would have expected the fruit to keep the heat in check.

Rating

This Cabernet Sauvignon was not a good match for me and I believe there are better choices at this price range. I found the fruit to be too simple, sweet and syrupy for me. I rate it 84 points.

Related Posts

• 2007 Haras de Pirque Cabernet Sauvignon
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Color

In the glass this is a thin for a Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a ruby red.

Aroma

On the nose this wine initially has a great earthy note. It is really strong and reminds me of soil freshly fertilized with manure. After a while it blows off and then black plum and blackberry components show well. There is also a hint of mint which I detect after the wine has been breathing in the glass. Overall it is a good nose.

Flavor

On the attack there are sweet black fruits such as blackberry and black currant. It isn’t too sweet though and the wine is a medium-bodied style such that it isn’t over syrupy. There is a blueberry note in the mid-palate and the finish shows some mild tannins. Despite the aging in oak, no oak is detected. The flavors of this wine tend toward the New World fruit style with little of the Old World vegetable style. I don’t get any chocolate such as some Cabernet Sauvignon shows.

Rating

I found this wine to be standard and without any remarkable deficiencies or merits. I rate it 87 points.

Related Posts

• 2007 Haras de Pirque Cabernet Sauvignon
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Color

In the glass this wine is a very dark purple in color similar to a lot of Syrah based wines.

Aroma

This wine has a good nose with lots of blackberry notes. There is also a earthy component which might stink to some but is quite nice to me. I enjoyed the aromas offered by this wine.

Flavor

On the attack there is a lot of sweet fruit. Strawberry comes first and then is followed by cherry which continues through the mid-palate. There is also a hint of mint in the mid-palate. The finish ends with a bit of pepper and smoke. It is not a bad finish. Overall the wine is medium bodied and not as dry as I would prefer.

Rating

This Anakena wine is not the best match for my palate. Considering it is one of their premium wines, I wanted a dryer wine with more herbaceous notes. Instead it was pretty simple and sweet. I rate it 85 points.

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• 2007 Haras de Pirque Cabernet Sauvignon
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Color

The color in the glass is a thin ruby red.

Aroma

On the nose I detect a dusty, earthy note and black cherry. There is a hint of black currant and after a while a lot of blackberry is showing. It is a good nose.

Flavor

The flavor of this wine is somewhat bland. It tastes thin just like the color hints that it might. There is some black cherry on the attack and mid-palate and blackberry on the finish, but it isn’t vibrant. The oak is present in the mid-palate and finish. There is a nice hint of the dustiness throughout the palate which is interesting.

Rating

For me this wine is not the best match to my palate. It seems a bit average. But the price is very fair. I rate it 83 points.

Have you tried it yet? Was it more to your liking? What flavors and aromas did you like or not like?

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Color

In the glass it is a dark purplish red color.

Aroma

There is a lot of blackberry and black currant on the nose of this wine. It is almost like a cobbler. That is to say it is very much a cooked or over ripe fruit aroma. There is a also a mint component. It is a rich full nose.

Flavor

This is definitely a fruit-forward, new world style of wine. I like the fact that it is not heavily oaked. The attack is more a mix of black and red currant. In the mid-palate I get some cherry flavors and then the finish has some minor tannins and a bit of a beef jerky note. Perhaps it is better described as a smoky note. The finish is longer than I would have expected.

Rating

For the price this is a decent everyday wine. It goes with strong flavored dishes, but for sipping on its own I find it a bit sweet for my palate. I rate it 85 points.

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Color

In the glass this wine is a nice dark garnet color.

Aroma

The first component I noticed on the nose is strawberry. There is also a woody, oak note along with a damp soil component with is nicely balanced with the fruit. An unusual pomegranate aroma is also present.

Flavor

On the attack there is a fruity character with some cherry. It transitions to a complex mid-palate with dark chocolate, chili pepper, and vegetables. There is butternut squash, tomato and eggplant. All are very minor but combine to give it a green character. The finish is herbal and shows some tannins. This is a medium bodied wine which is food friendly.

Rating

This is an interesting wine and definitely complex enough to make it a value for the money. I rate it 86 points.

Have you tried this one?

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• 2007 Almira Los Dos
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Color

In the glass it is a dark ruby red in color.

Aroma

On the nose this wine is showing a combination of dark and red fruit such as blackberry and strawberry. Typical of a Rioja wine there is also a component of oak and cedar. There is a hint of earthiness which is quite nice.

Flavor

The attack shows some strawberry and an unusual beet flavor. In the mid-palate there is a pleasant black cherry note and it finishes with more of the oak driven components. This is a medium-bodied wine and works well with grilled meats.

Rating

For my palate, this wine is an average match. The oak isn’t too offensive, but the flavors aren’t that noticeable either. I think there are many similar wines from Spain for around the same price point. I rate it 85 points.

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Color

In the glass, the wine is a pretty red. Not super dark, but adequate.

Aroma

This wine literally takes over the room. The nose is intense with blackberries and black currant. There is also some earth components. Wet rich soil comes through. I also get some strawberries and red cherries. This is a great nose!

Flavor

On the attack, Los Dos is full of sweet fruit, but not over the top. The strawberry and red cherry flavors are there. The mid-palate is first class with a complex combination of cherries and hints of strawberry, black pepper and raspberry. The finish is very long and fruity. The tannins are soft and sweet, so drink this now. This is a medium-bodied red wine and it will pair with most cheese and meat dishes.

Rating

I highly recommend this wine. I am very impressed by the blend and style. The fruit and terroir are at their best here without any interference from oak. Great job Almira. I rate it 92 points. It also represents very good value.

If you haven’t tried this, I suggest you try it soon. If you have, what did you think of it?

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