Desierto 25/5, Merlot 2005, far better than most mendoza´s merlot

Desierto 25/5 Merlot 2005, USD 10

Striking merlot from 25 de mayo,High Rio Colorado Valley ,La Pampa. One merlot with great typicity for grape and showing striking attractiveness. Ripe and abundant black cherries and black currant coverd nicely with strong chocolate. Sweet tannins and wide in the palate. Dashes of soft spice like black pepper. Not very lasting though. I´d say 89 points with an excelent value. Far better than most Mendoza´s Merlots.

Calvulcura 2003 and Finca La Anita Malbec 2002, Good and better

Calvulcura, merlot & malbec 2003, USD 18

Nice blend from high Uco´s Valley ,Mendoza.

Probably close to plateau ending. Nice pallete at the nose with red rose perfume and red berries.

It covers the palate more at the early and middle parts. Short aftertaste. Nice young oaky stuff like vanilla and sweet cinnamon. May notice some plum jam too. I´l go 87 points with an acceptable value.

Finca La Anita, Malbec 2002, USD 30

Wonderful Malbec from Agrelo District of Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza.

Beautiful fruit broad in the mouth with cherry like and raspberry too. Less plum and mince jam.

Just soft smoke and choco envelope barely perceived. Long lasting enyoyable. I´woudn´t go less than 91 points for this very good value.

Finca La Anita, Tocai Friulano 2002, terrific white from Agrelo District

Finca La Anita, Tocai Friulano 2002, USD 17

Beauty finesse from Agrelo Distric if Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza.

Nice herbal and melon aroma with peach in a nice acidity and alcohol. A deep with with broad palate.No oak at all (as read on the label: ¨no oak to honor the grapes quality¨). I´d say 90 points white with very good value on it.

Four Superpremium Malbecs USD 40-65,some wonderful,some forgettable

(same day Blind Tasting)

Angélica Zapata, Alta Malbec 2004, USD 44 (sold Int´l as `Catena Alta´)

Wonderful Malbec from different parts of Mendoza, ripe and attractive fruit driven but nice new oaky stuff.Wide palate with red and black wild berries mostly ripen and jammy. Gentle tannins with clear coconuts and vanilla with final chocolate. Nice lasting aftertaste. Good balance. I´d say 91 points red with a very good value component for a great malbec

Calle 15, KM 20, Malbec 2004 USD 44.

Nice Malbec from Agrelo district in Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza. Good beginning but halted by a rustic old fashion wine with notes of oxidation. The fruit tastes compoted and somehow colorless. I´d say a 83 points wine with bad value component.

Riglos ,Gran Malbec 2005, USD 44

Wondeful Malbec from Uco´s Valley with all the typicity, attractivness and balance. More balanced than Angelica´s Alta 2004. The oak stuff is deeper and merged in a elegant backbone.

It grows bigger with a couple of hours of decanting. Less fine oak dashes like coco and vanilla and more smoke and choco at the end. More cooked fruit. It might mature better in a couple of years losing some fruit brighting now.I´d say 92 points for a very good value too.

D.V. Catena, Nicasia Vineyard Malbec 2003, USD 65

Wonderful Malbec from San Carlos distric of Uco´s Valley, Mendoza Imposing red complete and seductive. Perfect fruit from malbec (plum, balckberries,boysenberries,mince jam) with wonderful structure extremely balanced reaching all the palate. Fantastic lingering. I´ll go 93 points with this malbec that even may grow more mature in a couple of years.

Trapiche Varietales, Malbec 2009, barely acceptable value

(375 ml bottle depicted)

Trapiche Varietales, Malbec 2009, USD 4

Basic wine from Mendoza somewhere around. The bottles sold in Argentina come from Santa Rosa departament and those sold international come from High Mendoza River (Lujan de Cuyo & Maipú departaments).Timid expressions of malbec tipicity. A soft but round and likable wine. May be the bottles sold Int´l are different.This one I woudn´t go more than 78 points and a barely acceptable value. There are a bunch of red labels 3-4 bucks with a substantial better value.

Ricardo Santos, Sémillon 2009, a must try unbeatable Sémillon

Una Selección de Ricardo Santos, Sémillon 2009, USD 15

A wonderful Sémillon from Lunlunta district of Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza.

A complex and attractive white with a balanced structure of white peach and pineapple mixed with small amounts of tropical fruits like melon.The palate is complete. Strong body with great minerality, honey sweet and bitterness berry stem like and also some buttery oak stuff gently involving. Solid backbone with long lasting aftertaste that entertains your memory putting apart its elements. I´d say 93 points white with a wonderful value component.

Bramare, Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, good value

Bramare, Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, USD 30

Good Cab from Perdiel distric of Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza.Not as good as the malbec brother but nicely presented. Fruits ripe and sweet are present.

Not very Cab though in terms of complexity. Fine oak arragement of coconut,vanilla and chocolate.

Nice palate throughout with lasting memory. I´d go 89 points with a good value though.

Sur de los Andes, Malbec Gran Reserva 2006, just a good value

Sur de los Andes, Gran Reserva, Malbec 2006, USD 20

Nice malbec from Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza. Better nose than palate. Soft fruits mostly black ones

with pleasant alcohol and acidity. A little bit hollow and empty in the middle palate (wich is the strongest point in malbec argentino). Nice cheap (second & third use) oak at the end (choco and smoke) gives roundness. Lack complexity and finesse.I´d say 88 point red with barely a good value component.

Punto Final, Malbec Reserva 2006, just barely good value

Punto Final, Reserva, Malbec 2006, USD 18

Nice malbec from Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza.

Fruit driven red with simple impact and smooth tannins ending with soft smoke and chocolate.

It doesn´t look to improve any farther. The palate dominates the middle component with

just a little aftertaste. Lacks complexity.Born to be and end young in up to 4 yrs old.I´d say 88 points red

with just a good value.

Finca Los Gigantes 2005, old fashion gone bad

Finca Los Gigantes, 2005, USD 17

Extrange blend from NorthPatagonia (Añelo, Neuquén). Compote fruit (oxidated) with no vivid bright mostly like and old fashioned European red. This time lacking the sweetness typical (very nice) of some oxidated old world reds. Short and no memorable at all. I´woudn´t go more than 83 points. No good value at all.

Callia Magna, Shiraz 2008, undoubtely a Great Value

Callia Magna, Shiraz 2008, USD 8-9

Nice Syrah from Tulum Valley, San Juan ,Argentina

Attractive red from the beginning with a clean ruby brilliant. You get sweet cherries and blueberries on the nose mixed with a soft smoke. Very little spiceness I wish were more. Attractive palate too mostly middle. No awkward hint. Round a soft. Lack lasting memory. I´d say 87 point red with a great value component no doubt.

Pulenta State, Gran Cabernet Franc XI, 2007,Good value

Cabernet Franc XI Pulenta State Winery, USD 25
Good value from Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza
Clear notes of blackberries and blueberries, ripe and cooked mixed together. Nice middle palate with short aftertaste. Good balance in acidity and alcohol but lacks personality to remember. A good red but hard to stick out from the rest. I´d say a 88 points red with barely a good value.

Finca La Anita, Semillon 2004, Wonderful white form Agrelo

Finca La Anita,Semillon, 2004, USD 18
Great Sémillon from Alto Agrelo, Lujan de Cuyo distric ,Mendoza
Dry leaf notes with sweet honey and a wonderful middle palate ending with radicchio herbal. A teerific semillon ripe and complex with strong alcohol and acidity endurance. I´d say a 90 points wine with a spectacular value for the price.

Diego Murillo, Malbec 2007, nice patagonian for everyday

Diego Murillo, Malbec 2007, USD 4

An everyday red with some Patagonian character. The nose´s very interesting and attractive. Afterwards not followed by the short palate and thin structure. Mostly soft and hollow. I´d choose it with a casserole, pot roast or bake well spiced. Anyway no more than 79 points wine with an adequate value for the price.

Humberto Canale Estate. Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot 2008, very good value & typicity

Humberto Canale Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot 2008, USD 10

Very good red from Alto Valle de Rio negro, NorthPatagonia

Clear patagonian with deep dark ripe fruit in a strong alcohol and acidity with typical eucalyptus notes. Nice balance with gentle tannins. The palate shows more middle component but exquisite end of palate too. Soft smoke aftertaste. I´d say 89 points with a very good value. Just lacks concentration to be an excelent one.

Desierto Pampa, 2006, a complete palate for a great value

Desierto Pampa , USD 25

Very Good blend from 25 de Mayo, La Pampa, NorthPatagonia

Quite balanced and attractive Cab Sau, Merlot & Cab Franc Nice red fruits with firm tannins.Slight smoke and chocolate. A wine woth trying because you feel the palate complete with nice aftertaste. I´d say 90 points for a great value.

Nomade, Malbec 2006, another good value from Uco´s Valley

Nomade, Malbec 2006, USD 9

Good Malbec from San Carlos distric ,Uco´s Valley

Typical Uco´s with clear red acid fruit in a thin and great middle palate. Soft smoke and a little,very little hint of eucalyptus and mint. It´s not wide in the palate, like all Uco´s too. Overall balanced and attractive. I´d say 88 points red with good value.

Desierto 25/5, Cabernet Franc 2005, great value from La Pampa

Desierto 25/5, Cabernet Frank 2005, USD 10

Terrific red from 25 de Mayo, La Pampa, Northpatagonia

Quite like merlot in red fruit aroma with nice tannins ,a soft spice and smoke and quite wide in palate. Mostly middle palate and good aftertaste, better than the onset taste. One of those reds you want to repeat sip after sip because its great balance and roundness. I´d say 89 points wine with great value quality.

Luigi Bosca Gala 1, Malbec & Petit Verdot & Tannat 2006,beautiful blend to get enchanted

Gala 1, Malbec-Petit Verdot & Tannat, USD 30

Fron highest disctric in Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza. Terrific blend with plenty of fruits with wide palette (figs,blackberries,plum,cherries) and very gentle in palate stance. Nice palate mostly inicial and middle with a timid end . A hint of vanila too. This is the type of red to enyoy in any occacion, with or without food. I´d say 90 points wine and a very good value.

Finca La Anita,Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, great Agrelo District value

Finca La Anita, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, USD 35

Very attractive Cab from Agrelo Distric in Lujan de Cuyo Mendoza.Beautiful red and black dark fruit like blackberries entangled with sweet bell pepper-like tones in a soft and tender tannins deep. A little hint of oregano and smoke. The palate enyoys from the early to final passage. Not very long lasting though. A gentle Cab with finesse. I´d say 90 points with a very good value.

Black Tears, malbec 2006, wonderful even for frantic anti-oak guys

Black Tears, Malbec 2006, USD 38

Wonderful Malbec from Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza. Beautiful blend of flowers,fruits and oak in a strong backbone of sweet tannins.

The oak (mostly vanilla and coconut with choco too) doesn´t blind the fruit but it goes enchained one with another. It covers well the palate from the beginning. A little bit overexpressed or concentrated but equally gorgeous. I´d say a 92 points and a very good value. You must be a frantic anti-oak to not enyoy this red. I dont´remember any reasonable one.

Finca Koch, Reserva, Colección de Cava, 2007; Not a good value

Finca Koch, Reserva 2007,Colección de Cava, USD 16

Blend mostly Malbec and Cab Sau with some Merlot from Tupungato´s Valley,Mendoza.Nice but not a good value. Typicity of terroir with nice fruit mostly black ripe berries with good middle palate but short and not complex et all. Hint of coconut and chocolate. It won´t go bad with any dinner but you won´t remember it either. I´d say 85 points red. Great value if up to 7-8 bucks!