My last. Remains impressive with lashings of focussed ripe blackcurrant, liquorice and peppers. Hints of truffle developing and earthiness. Splendid. No rush but probably as good as it gets.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Absolutely outstanding and really typical of its varietal (CF). Smoke, concentrated blackcurrant and wild red berries, liquorice, charred oak and earth with the core acidity to balance the riper fruit element. All in perfect vibrant crackling harmony. Superb. At its peak and for drinking say 15yrs from vintage at this level.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Made from grapes sourced from centenarian pre-phylloxera vines in Finca Libertad vineyard. Aged for 18 months in new French oak. 14,5% alcohol. Total production 3000 bottles. Bottled in super-massive weightlifter bottles that weigh empty as much as a magnum-sized Champagne bottle. Tasted blind.
Somewhat translucent blood-red color. Aromatic, fragrant and quite attractive nose with notes of ripe blackcurrants, some minty herbal notes and even a hint of eucalyptus, a little bit of plummy dark fruit and a touch of sweet oak spice. The wine feels full-bodied, dense and quite concentrated on the palate with flavors of spicy and somewhat coarse wood, some jammy dark fruit, a little bit of chocolate oak, a hint of ripe blackcurrant and a touch of licorice. The structure relies mainly on the quite ample tannins that are pretty grippy and lend a chewy sense to the mouthfeel, whereas the acidity feels quite modest, medium at most. Also the alcohol pushes through a little. The finish is warm and rather soft, despite the quite firm tannic grip, with rich flavors of ripe blackcurrants, rather coarse spicy wood, a little bit of boysenberries and a hint of plum jam.
A big, quite enjoyable and rather concentrated modernist wine which is recognizable as a Cabernet, but not really as Cabernet Franc - I thought this was Cabernet Sauvignon from the start. There's a lot of good things going on here, but overall I'm still distracted by the pitfalls of the wine; too low acidity, too high alcohol and too much oak. I'm really not a fan of this style Cabernet Franc where all the varietal characteristics are lost with the high ripeness and the obfuscating oak character masks away most of the remaining fruit flavors. The wine has aged nicely and gained some attractive mature wine complexity, but that's about it. Priced according to its quality at 20€.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Valgt til lammeryg pga den herbale stil i vinen og ønsket om en kraftigere vin. Godt match. Kraftig men uden kanter. Godt køb. Jesper R var begejstret og kunne godt fange bordeaux-forbindelsen.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Clean & Clear with deep intensity ruby colour with a nose of chocolate, mint, roasted pepper and red fruits. Full bodied, high tannins, long cool finish. Fruits dominate the palate, with a soft vanilla tone from the oak. Really old vines >100 years. This is a big wine that will improve over the next 10-15 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Grillvin. Moden og klar, men haster ikke. Den vil en hel masse men synes ikke den helt opfylder det den lover. Solmoden og stor mørk frugt der får fint modspil af de mere tertiære noter.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
The most outstanding Argentine wine I've experienced to date. Smokey concentration of bright crunchy blackcurrant and some dark hedge fruit, hint of truffle and spice (liquorice) and old oak nuances. A long dry finish giving grip. Complex and very fine. Just hitting its straps. Now and for perhaps 15+yrs from vintage. May well improve. (Obiter: a bottle for weight-lifters)! Excellent: 92+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Megamoon Part V: Mendoza (Argentina); 11/1/2015-11/3/2015 (Park Hyatt Mendoza, Lujan de Cayo, Uco Valley): For the others at the tasting this came across as quite closed at the beginning, but I had a different experience. It was perhaps slightly tight, but just because there were many flavors going on at once. Spicy, oak, leather, fig, dark black fruits. With some time I started getting more of a floral characteristic as well. None of the bell pepper that I generally associate with the cabernet franc grape. For me, this was my favorite of the 3 wines tasted.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Koncentrerat och medelfylligt med mogen karaktär. Solmogen frukt med vinbär, plommon och aningen hallon. Frukten är fet och söt men återhållen. Drag av mintchoklad kan anas, men överskuggas av fin och dammig mineralitet (cement), tobak, tjära och tydliga drag av blyerts. Eftersmaken är lång, aningen eldig, men samtidigt sval och uppfriskande. Svingott utan att kännas magiskt. Rejäl strävhet i nivå med Nebbiolo och en vital syra skvallrar om att det har många år kvar att leva.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Developed nose with a medium intensity. Earthy nose with a lot of greenness going on; stems, grass and green bell pepper. It's also showing some cedar, dried cassis, spice box and old wood.
Dry on the palate with a medium acidity, medium+ unripe tannin and body. The intensity is medium. Old wood, green bell pepper, grass, dried out spices, dried cassis and dry earth on the palate. The finish is medium with a woody, slightly dried out feeling to it.
This was served as a bonus wine after a tasting of 15 dry wines and 7 sweet wines and that probably affected my judgment in a negative way. However, this feels too dried out with a lot of woody tannins that isn't pleasant at all I was also expecting a deeper, broader fruitiness and more power from a wine of this origin.
Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
BYOB HT14#1; 9/6/2014-9/7/2014: #BYOB - Had heard very good of this wine, and it was utterly disappointing to learn what I had in the glass. Nothing on the nose that I usualy associates with CF, only lots of oak, candy-ish fruit, cherries, raspberries, and canned corn. Better on the palate with a clear acidity and decent intensity. Fruit feels very young, and there is a bitter astringency in the tannins. At first it felt unbalanced, but it got better during the night. But the ridiculously heavy bottle just feels like a bad joke.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Enjoyed over 2 nights, both pretty different. From un-grafted Cab Franc vines planted in 1888, in the Finca Libertad vineyard producing extraordinarily tiny grapes of beautiful concentration and elegance. The oak regimen is 18 months new Fr. barrique - and it shows, at first - though with an hour of air in the decanter (and more so the second night), the wood is integrated and harmonious. This is pretty serious juice (100% CF) for less than $60. New world-ish on night one, but very elegant. On night two, a sprinkle of pyrazines, for just a moment, then juicy, red and black berry fruits, spice and firm, fine tannins; night 2 would have been difficult in a double-blind. Hate the (ultra) heavy bottle, just no need for it. 14,5% abv integrates by the second glass or with time in decanter. Thru 2021, recommended
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
8/8/2020 - seba Likes this wine:
Uvas provenientes de un viñedo de 1888 😲 y partida de solo 3000 botellas.
Crianza de 18 meses en barricas nuevas de roble francés.
Hay que esperarlo para que se abra, pero cuando se abre es una bomba! 💣
Hay mermelada de frutas, especias y pimiento cocido. También notas de reducción típicas en este tu de vinos.
En boca tiene buena estructura, es sedoso, elegante y tiene final largo. Excelente!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/3/2020 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 92 Points
My last.
Remains impressive with lashings of focussed ripe blackcurrant, liquorice and peppers. Hints of truffle developing and earthiness. Splendid.
No rush but probably as good as it gets.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2020 - Mads Eriksen wrote:
Balancen var ikke optimal, med frugt i bund og fad i top. Skæv eller til til at drikke den sidste flaske?
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2018 - EricDilda Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drank at tommy's wedding
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/30/2018 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 93 Points
Absolutely outstanding and really typical of its varietal (CF).
Smoke, concentrated blackcurrant and wild red berries, liquorice, charred oak and earth with the core acidity to balance the riper fruit element. All in perfect vibrant crackling harmony. Superb.
At its peak and for drinking say 15yrs from vintage at this level.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/6/2018 - forceberry wrote: 86 Points
Made from grapes sourced from centenarian pre-phylloxera vines in Finca Libertad vineyard. Aged for 18 months in new French oak. 14,5% alcohol. Total production 3000 bottles. Bottled in super-massive weightlifter bottles that weigh empty as much as a magnum-sized Champagne bottle. Tasted blind.
Somewhat translucent blood-red color. Aromatic, fragrant and quite attractive nose with notes of ripe blackcurrants, some minty herbal notes and even a hint of eucalyptus, a little bit of plummy dark fruit and a touch of sweet oak spice. The wine feels full-bodied, dense and quite concentrated on the palate with flavors of spicy and somewhat coarse wood, some jammy dark fruit, a little bit of chocolate oak, a hint of ripe blackcurrant and a touch of licorice. The structure relies mainly on the quite ample tannins that are pretty grippy and lend a chewy sense to the mouthfeel, whereas the acidity feels quite modest, medium at most. Also the alcohol pushes through a little. The finish is warm and rather soft, despite the quite firm tannic grip, with rich flavors of ripe blackcurrants, rather coarse spicy wood, a little bit of boysenberries and a hint of plum jam.
A big, quite enjoyable and rather concentrated modernist wine which is recognizable as a Cabernet, but not really as Cabernet Franc - I thought this was Cabernet Sauvignon from the start. There's a lot of good things going on here, but overall I'm still distracted by the pitfalls of the wine; too low acidity, too high alcohol and too much oak. I'm really not a fan of this style Cabernet Franc where all the varietal characteristics are lost with the high ripeness and the obfuscating oak character masks away most of the remaining fruit flavors. The wine has aged nicely and gained some attractive mature wine complexity, but that's about it. Priced according to its quality at 20€.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/15/2017 - Mads Eriksen wrote: 91 Points
Valgt til lammeryg pga den herbale stil i vinen og ønsket om en kraftigere vin. Godt match. Kraftig men uden kanter. Godt køb. Jesper R var begejstret og kunne godt fange bordeaux-forbindelsen.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/26/2017 - Mads Eriksen wrote: 91 Points
Igen en flot oplevelse. Igen ikke min stil, men passer godt til grill.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2016 - Mads Eriksen wrote: 91 Points
Vildt meget animalsk i duften. Det overdøver for mig, men E fangede lækker fad. Flot vin.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/16/2016 - N20winery Likes this wine: 92 Points
Clean & Clear with deep intensity ruby colour with a nose of chocolate, mint, roasted pepper and red fruits. Full bodied, high tannins, long cool finish. Fruits dominate the palate, with a soft vanilla tone from the oak. Really old vines >100 years. This is a big wine that will improve over the next 10-15 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/29/2016 - Mads Eriksen wrote: 90 Points
Grillvin. Moden og klar, men haster ikke. Den vil en hel masse men synes ikke den helt opfylder det den lover. Solmoden og stor mørk frugt der får fint modspil af de mere tertiære noter.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/1/2016 - NickBurwood Likes this wine: 92 Points
The most outstanding Argentine wine I've experienced to date.
Smokey concentration of bright crunchy blackcurrant and some dark hedge fruit, hint of truffle and spice (liquorice) and old oak nuances. A long dry finish giving grip. Complex and very fine.
Just hitting its straps. Now and for perhaps 15+yrs from vintage. May well improve. (Obiter: a bottle for weight-lifters)!
Excellent: 92+
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/1/2015 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine: 93 Points
Megamoon Part V: Mendoza (Argentina); 11/1/2015-11/3/2015 (Park Hyatt Mendoza, Lujan de Cayo, Uco Valley): For the others at the tasting this came across as quite closed at the beginning, but I had a different experience. It was perhaps slightly tight, but just because there were many flavors going on at once. Spicy, oak, leather, fig, dark black fruits. With some time I started getting more of a floral characteristic as well. None of the bell pepper that I generally associate with the cabernet franc grape. For me, this was my favorite of the 3 wines tasted.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/12/2015 - Mattias S Likes this wine: 91 Points
Koncentrerat och medelfylligt med mogen karaktär. Solmogen frukt med vinbär, plommon och aningen hallon. Frukten är fet och söt men återhållen. Drag av mintchoklad kan anas, men överskuggas av fin och dammig mineralitet (cement), tobak, tjära och tydliga drag av blyerts. Eftersmaken är lång, aningen eldig, men samtidigt sval och uppfriskande. Svingott utan att kännas magiskt. Rejäl strävhet i nivå med Nebbiolo och en vital syra skvallrar om att det har många år kvar att leva.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/10/2015 - karl.1480 wrote: 87 Points
Deep garnet color, some sediment in the glass.
Developed nose with a medium intensity. Earthy nose with a lot of greenness going on; stems, grass and green bell pepper. It's also showing some cedar, dried cassis, spice box and old wood.
Dry on the palate with a medium acidity, medium+ unripe tannin and body. The intensity is medium. Old wood, green bell pepper, grass, dried out spices, dried cassis and dry earth on the palate. The finish is medium with a woody, slightly dried out feeling to it.
This was served as a bonus wine after a tasting of 15 dry wines and 7 sweet wines and that probably affected my judgment in a negative way. However, this feels too dried out with a lot of woody tannins that isn't pleasant at all I was also expecting a deeper, broader fruitiness and more power from a wine of this origin.
Drink now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/19/2014 - Coelho1803 wrote:
Belo cab franc
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/7/2014 - Lilja Does not like this wine: 87 Points
BYOB HT14#1; 9/6/2014-9/7/2014: #BYOB - Had heard very good of this wine, and it was utterly disappointing to learn what I had in the glass. Nothing on the nose that I usualy associates with CF, only lots of oak, candy-ish fruit, cherries, raspberries, and canned corn. Better on the palate with a clear acidity and decent intensity. Fruit feels very young, and there is a bitter astringency in the tannins. At first it felt unbalanced, but it got better during the night.
But the ridiculously heavy bottle just feels like a bad joke.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/23/2014 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
Enjoyed over 2 nights, both pretty different. From un-grafted Cab Franc vines planted in 1888, in the Finca Libertad vineyard producing extraordinarily tiny grapes of beautiful concentration and elegance. The oak regimen is 18 months new Fr. barrique - and it shows, at first - though with an hour of air in the decanter (and more so the second night), the wood is integrated and harmonious. This is pretty serious juice (100% CF) for less than $60. New world-ish on night one, but very elegant. On night two, a sprinkle of pyrazines, for just a moment, then juicy, red and black berry fruits, spice and firm, fine tannins; night 2 would have been difficult in a double-blind. Hate the (ultra) heavy bottle, just no need for it. 14,5% abv integrates by the second glass or with time in decanter. Thru 2021, recommended
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment