Altos Las Hormigas , Malbec 2006, always good value

Altos Las Hormigas, Malbec 2006, USD 12

Very good malbec from Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza

Well done malbec with typicity and attractiveness. Ripe fruit mostly combined red acid and black sweet with clear vanila and a smoke and chocolate base too. Smooth but nice hint of acidity. Overall well balanced. I´d say 88 points malbec with very good value.

Graffigna Centenario Malbec Reserve 2006, one top Great Value

Graffigna Centenario Malbec Reserve 2006,

USD 7

Great Value from San Juan, Argentina .Nice easy drink malbec with tipicity and a plus very attractive: its soft and balanced struture. Fruity and a hint of smoke and vanila. It goes well all trough the palate. It doesn´t show any edge of awkwardness. I´d say 88 points red. Great value for 7 bucks. One of the top best values no doubt.

Don David Tannat 2006, Boring but drinkable

Don David Tannat 2006, USD 9

Boring grapewine from Cafayate Valley, Salta

Nice violets and blackberries compote and jammy but very unimodal in complexity. Not susprising for the grapewine variety. Not a great palette for going solo prime time. I´d say 84 points red with good value.

Flecha de los Andes, Gran Malbec 2008, timid malbec from Uco´s Valley

Flecha de los Andes, Gran Malbec 2008, USD 33

Standard malbec from Uco´s Valley overpriced. You get nice fruit mixed with chocolate and soft sweet tannins of malbec. But not impressive in anyway and well timid in the palate. Mostly initial palate with thinny finish. Some strange backbone like leather from Brett. I´ll go 87 points for this regular malbec clearly overpriced. Bad value I guess.

Catalpa, single Vineyard, Merlot 2007, personal wine

Catalpa, Merlot single Vineyard 2007, USD 20

A personal Merlot from Tupungato, Mendoza Strange red in terms of tipicity. Great fruit, mostly bleckberries and boysenberries with nice acidity. Strong tannins with nice bitterness and minerality. A tipical hint of eucalyptus from Uco´s Valley nearby. I´d say a 89 points wine and a 84 points merlot. Good value. Nice personal wine.

Occhioverde Merlot 2006, Unoaked Wonderful Value

Occhioverde, Merlot 2006, USD 7

Grapes from San Carlos district in Uco´s Valley, Mendoza

Delicious unoaked merlot with beautiful fruit, mostly red cherry and raspberry in a sweet ripeness.Great middle palate like pure merlot. Straight from the nose down. Lacking the spiciness that makes merlot unique (specially Pomerol type) .Beautiful balance too. It strikes you by the delicate fruit.I drunk it with pasta and muschrooms wih tomato sauce but I guess it´l go better with many caserole or mediterranean combos.I´d say 88 points red with wonderful value.

Alta Vista Classic, Malbec 2008, Terrific Value

Alta Vista Classic, Malbec 2008, USD 6-7

Wonderful Malbec from Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza. Fruit punch with great balance in acidity and alcohol that makes it very balanced and attractive. Quince, plum, red cherries, chocolate and some coffee mocha. Again: It´ll be nothing without the nice acidity taking backbone of it.It calls you sip after sip. I´d go 88 points for this terrific value. A great wine for pizza and easy finger food.

Graffigna, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Gran Reserva. Excelent Value

Graffigna, Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Reserva ,2005, USD 20

Nice Cab from Padernal Valley (high altitude), San Juan.Very attractive Cab with nice balance and character. Fruits are remarcable with fresh ripe and some compote mixed. Acidity and alcohol in strong equilibrium. Soft oaky tips with a hint of vanila and some more choco and smoke. I´d say a 90 points wine with excelent value component.

One of the few San Juan values above every day quality (the great values Shiraz from San Juan are not more than 5 USD, i.e. Callia, Las Moras to mention,other high quality are above 20 USD like Alma Mora or Grand Callia)

Zucardi Q, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, very good value if you don´t like oaky

Zucardi Q , Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, USD 17

Very attractive Cab blend of La Consulta and Tupungato Disctrics in High Mendoza. Aproachable fruit, red and black mostly like cherry jubilee with nice acidity and alcohol. Better early and middle than final palate. Not very lasting end. Hints of smoke and choco.

Very good wine with cheap oak though. I´d say a 89 points wine with very good value if you don´t care weak oaky stuff.

Cafayate Reserve, Cab Sau 2008 (Etchard), great value

Cafayate Reserve (Bodegas Etchard), Cab Sau 2008, USD 7

Nice Cab from Cafayate Valley Salta

Round and attractive with ripe fresh black fruits and red & green bell pepper. Absolut tipicity for both variety and terroir. Kind of low priced wine but terrific value. I´d say 84 points. Unbeatable for 7 bucks

Familia Reina, Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, Marvelous Value

Familia Reina, Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, USD 15

Marvellous Cab from Ucos´s Valley,Mendoza. (Now sold as Andeluna Reserve).All a Cab must offer and all Uco´s Valley has to offer too. Just the perfect balance of maturity and cellaring.No akward edge. Cooked fruit with nice sweet component and adecuate acidity and alcohol. Still strong tannins with moderate green pepper and a gentle spiciness. All invites to repeat the sip. I´d say 93 points with an unbeatable value for 15 bucks. As I mentioned before most super Uco´s Valley reds reach cenit after 5 and close 7 to 10 yrs (Salentein, Andeluna,Achaval Ferrer Altamira,Lindaflor,Clos de los Siete,Flecha de los Andes,right off my head).

Piedra Negra, Malbec 2004, USD 30

Very good malbec from Ucos´s Valley, Mendoza.

Nice balanced fruity driven malbec. Not impressive neither long lasting but likeable.Clear tipicity with potent backbone with sweet tannins and a little smoke & choco ending. Fairly complete palate but not adorable and memorable. I´d say a 89 points barely good value for the price.

Monteagrelo, Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, too oaky

Monteagrelo, Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, USD 28

Nice Cabernet Sauvignon from Agrelo district of Lujan de Cuyo,Mendoza. Attractive red fruit like strawberries, raspberries and some quince too. Mild peppery notes tipical of Cab. Quite present oaky stuff and disturbing for my palate. I´d say 85 points red with difficult to balance with price.

Salentein Primus, Merlot 2003, a masterpiece

Primus, Merlot 2003, USD 65

Wonderful merlot fron Uco´s Valley, Mendoza .Rich and concentrated ; Full body with great cherries and blackberries. Acid and strong but friendly and absolutly attractive. Moderate smoke and chocolate. The palate is great mostly middle and final with nice aftertaste. I´d say 95 points for a wonderful merlot. Probably better than most int´l $100 of the kind. Surely better and more complex in a few years more of sellaring. I´d like much more if it were more sweety fruits scented and spiced.

Gran Lurton, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, good value

Gran Lurton, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005,USD 23, good value

Cab from Uco´s Valley, Mendoza

Nice and balanced with acid black fruits taking first place. Only a hint of smoke at the end which probably reflects old used barriques. A little bit thin with nice early and middle palate. Just a hint of tipical Cabs like green bell peppers and black pepper spice. I´d say 89 points for a good value. It lacks proper lasting for a Uco´s Cab and gives a small cheap oak. Previous vintages were higher quality reds clearly.

F. Lurton, Reserva Malbec 2007, just a good value

F. Lurton, Reserva Malbec 2007, USD 10

Malbec from Uco´s Valley.

Nice malbec deserving respect. Tipicity covered with great balance. Not strong neither concentrated anticipated by the soft bordeaux red translucent.Equilibrated fruits,mostly red & black forrest with a pale smoke. I´d say 85 points with just good value in it.

F. Lurton, Cab Sau Reserva 2002, too late

F Lurton ,Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2002, USD 10

Cab from Uco´s Valley, Mendoza.

Still balanced but weak. Some compoted fruits and a hint of green pepper kind of cooked. It remains trough the early a middle palate. Some soft leather and earthiness at the end. These series (Lurton Reserva,Mendoza) are better preserved by 3 to 4 yrs and getting some round balance. Sometimes you get a nice ageing by 6 yrs of cellaring with beauty notes of earthiness and sweet oxidation without losing much body. Now I´d say 84 points with not a good value mostly beacause aged too late.

La Vuelta, Syrah 2009; indulge yourself for 5 bucks

La Vuelta, Syrah 2009, USD 5

Fruit punch from Mendoza. A fruity driven wine to enyoy happily for a bunch of minutes. You won´t remember this red but you´ll enyoy it while it last in your cup. Slapping red with black fruits without the spice of syrah. 83 points with very good value add. I mean you indulge yourself when looking the price payed for it.

Santa Julia Magna 2005, great value though

Santa Julia, Magna 2005, USD 9

Good value from Maipu Valley, Mendoza. A blend of Cab Sau, Malbec and Syrah. Interesting mixture of frutality mostly quince and plum with red cherries and blackberries. Some spiciness walking by softly. Nice structure but short lacking end of palate and aftertaste too. I´d say 89 points for a great value though.

Andeluna Reserve, Malbec 2006 , unbeatable value for a high Q red

Andeluna Reserve, Malbec 2006, USD 15

Outrageous Malbec from Uco´s Valley, Mendoza.

Wonderful balance with strong backbone of dark and red fruits with a wide palate filling the mouth and lingering nicely. Good but weak oak stuff mostly chocolate. No less than 93 points for 15 bucks, amazing. Unbeatable value no doubt. Probably one of the best three loved malbecs for my palate.

Cavas de Weinert, Gran Vino 2002, barely good value

Cavas de Weinert, Gran Vino 2002, USD 20

Blend of Malbec, Cab Sau & Merlot from Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza.Nice red cherries and plum from the start off. Well balanced and gives a soft but attractive passage through the palate. May be quite soft with short memory afterwards.Very soft chocolate and very tiny. I´d say 85 points red with barely good value for the price.

Extra Brut, Bodega del Fin del Mundo, N/V, great value from Patagonia

Bodega del Fin del Mundo, extra brut, N/V, USD 10

Nice sparkling from Neuquén, Patagonia

Nice blend of Pinot Noir & Chardonnay well balanced and attractive. Tipicity reached

in patagonia with these grapes. Good deal of bread crust with peach and a hint of acid red cherry. I´d say 86 points and a great value for 10 bucks

Doña Paula Salix Vineyard 06 & San Pedro de Yacochuya 07, Two good values

Doña Paula, Salix Vineyard 2006, USD 30

A blend of Tannat & Malbec from Ugarteche district of Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza

Wonderfull blend with amazing fruits mostly dark skinned with sweet and spiced tones. Quite present oaky stuff like chocolate and vanila. Plentifull early and middle palate with nice aftertaste. Overall balanced and attractive mostly fruit driven quite in line with Doña Paula style. I´d say a 91 points wine and a good value too.

San Pedro de Yacochuya, Mabec 2007, USD 28

Fron Cafayate Valley Salta. Strong red with attractive balance. The concentrated prone natural gift of this high terroir is fortunately balance in this wine. Soft smoke and chocolate made it more complex.I ´d say a 89 points wine lacking some complexity not easy to get in cafayate valley

(its big brother Yacochuya clearly got it, see April notes).

Mendel Malbec 2007, first off the balance

Mendel, Malbec 2007, USD 17-20

Wonderful malbec from Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza.

Nice bordeaux color and nose. It reaches all the palate with fruit and balance. Not very concentrated but wonderfully equilibrated. Some smoke and choco you may pick up too. It grows bigger after a hour of resting open. Smooth and elegant. I´d say 90 points and a great value too.

Don David & Saint Felicien Malbec 2007, two terroires two styles

Saint Felicien, Malbec 2007, USD 15

A Malbec from Lunlunta district of Maipu, Mendoza. Nice and elegant with tipicity and attractiveness. Laking some streght seen in Catena Alta series (I guess these series is close to Catena worldwide). Sweet and gentle fruit well balanced.Little bit of smoke and choco. I´d say 88 points and worth paying the price.

Don David, Malbec 2007, Cafayate Valley, USD 9

Younger in fruit attacking the palate more aggresively. All within malbec tipicity. More characteristic of Cafayate terroir with stronger blackcherries and plum and more concentration. Hint of choco and smoke. I´d say 87 points laking some complexity. Looks like a great value though.

Dedicado, Finca Flichman 2004, high quality wine

Dedicado, Finca Flichman, 2004, USD 35

Blend of Cab Sau,Malbec and Syrah from Mendoza. Beautiful red with nice red and black fruit mixed with spice and smoke in a well balanced structure. Quite complete palate with cute lingering and striking middle palate from syrah components. I´d say a 90 points wine with very good value.

Gran Syrah 2004, Finca Las Moras, deceptive style

Gran Syrah 2004, Finca Las Moras, USD 23

From San Juan, Argentina.

Way to much oak covering everything.I cound´t tell if syrah at all. Over and over oaky stuff. Just at the end a hint of black fruit that might be that found in syrah. No more than 79 points and unacceptable price.

Nina, Gran Petit Verdot 2006, barely acceptable

Nina, Gran Petit Verdot 2006,

USD 20

From Aminga Valley from La Rioja (Arg).

Barely acceptable red with hints of herbal & green vegetables notes and some black fruits like blueberries .Soft smoky end. Not complex at all.Short palate and not attractive. I´d go no more than 78 points at an actually unacceptable price.

Avarizza, Rosé of Canari 2009, good value

Avarizza, Rosé of Canari, 2009, USD 5

From Mendoza nice rosé.

Wild grape variety made rosé by short contact with skins and resulted in a confortable wine. Red fruits memories like cherry and a balanced palate with nice alcohol, bitterness and sweet edges. Nice 85 points and a great value.

Cabo de Hornos, Cab Sau from Vistalba Mendoza, good value

Cabo de Hornos, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006,

gran reserva,

USD 9

Cab from Vistalba disctric of Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza.Dark brown in it but mostly bordeaux red. Clear aromas and tipicity preserved but not very complex though. Nice middle palate but lacking initial and end palate. Soft fruit and clear green peppery and herbal notes. A hint of humidity and fungus kind of nice. Alcohol bothering. I´d say 83 points. Better if blended with malbec or syrah.I´d say overall a good value .

Ciclos, Icono 2006, great value if some bucks below

Ciclos, Icono 2006, USD 15

A blend Cab Sau, Malbec and Syrah from Cafayate Valley, Salta

Nice balanced red with composed fruit fresh and ripe and cooked too. Soft smoke and vanila in a lasting palate. Not very concentrated nor lingering either but overall attractive.

I´d say 85 points and a barely acceptable value. I´d be good value for 8-9 bucks.

Postales del Fin del Mundo, Roble, Cab Sau 2008; good value

Postales del Fin del Mundo, Roble, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, USD 9

Red from SP Chañar,Neuquén,Patagonia.

Nice Cab where red and black cooked fruit take control. Not very Cab though. Soft smoky end and It doesn´t remain quite long. I´d go 84 points and it looks good value.

Los Leones, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, great great value

Los Leones, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, USD 8

From Uco´s Valley a great great value. Attractive and balanced with red fruit & green bell peppery notes and a hint of eucalyptus and smoke. Nice alcohol and acidity with strong backbone.

Very nice red. I´d go with 87 points and a great great value.

Norton Reserva, Malbec 2006, very good value

Norton Reserva Malbec 2006, USD 10

Malbec from Perdriel distric Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza.

Nice and round with tipicity and great value. Quince and plum in a sweet envelope with marked smoky edge. Well balanced though. Not a great wine but and nice one with great value component.I´d say 86 points.