4/25/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

With 15.6% alcohol and 24 months in oak, you'd think this wine would pack a punch, but it was surprisingly smooth and well-rounded, with no harshness at all. Surprised that they down-graded to a reconstituted cork, though.

4/21/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Well-made and not often found blend of 50% Malbec and 50% Bonarda, but it was well balanced, pleasantly on the acidic side. Somewhat on the expensive side by Argentine standards for a middle-line wine, but acceptable. Not invasive despite its high (14.8%) alcohol content, and some oak. Unfiltered, but did not leave any notable residue in the glass, so decanting not necessary.

4/18/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

This was the only wine I purchased at a "movable Malbec tasting festival" in Buenos Aires, after tasting probably over 20 Malbecs (out of over 100 on offer). The reason is, ironically, that is was the "least Malbec" of them all! As the sommelier of the winery explained, and the tasting bore his out, it had light floral notes, almost approach a Burgundy in characteristics compared to a typical Malbec (and indeed it was!), which he attributed entirely to the particular soil characteristics of the vineyard. Aging in cement tanks (no oak). 13.5% alcohol is also a little lower than a typical Malbec from Mendoza.

4/17/2024 - tanguero8 wrote:

Disappointing. Was expecting a richer more complex wine but, while smooth enough, this one was really too "neutral" and could really have been any generic medium-bodies lightly-oaked wine. Not worth the price and would not buy more.

4/13/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Originally was going to give a lower rating since the tannins were very harsh and overpowering, even with red meat. But two days later it was beautiful! So (a) it needs a LOT of aeration if you're going to drink it now and (b) it could be very nice if stored a few years till the tannins mellow.

4/13/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Very smooth tannins considering the high alcohol content (14.8%) and 18 months in oak. Smooth enough and well rounded to go with other dishes than just red meats, even salmon perhaps. Went out and bought more after the first tasting!

4/13/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Drinkable and easygoing Sauvignon Blanc. Nothing to write home about but a good buy for the price for a basic SB.

4/10/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

A nice limited edition (14,000 bottles) Malbec/Cabernet Franc blend by Norton (known more for their mass-produced wines). Would buy again.

3/25/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

A nice Malbec from a lesser-known winery, nice but not overwhelming fruity notes and the 1 year in French oak is just right. Drinks nicely now, and should for a few years more.

3/31/2024 - tanguero8 wrote:

While this was supposedly a private blend "reserved just for the family," etc., etc., until it was released to the public, the wine does not live up to the hype at all. While drinkable, it offered nothing that could be called "special" in any way. There are much better wines in Argentina for this price.

3/18/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Had a rather floral and fruity aroma and taste, almost more like a Pinot Noir than a Malbec. Unexpected, but perhaps more interesting in some ways. Not a high-end production, but worth a try.

3/19/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

An inexpensive but very good-for-the-price champagne blend from well-known Santa Julia. No designation as to Brut vs. Extra Brut vs. Demi Sec, etc. on the bottle but it was definitely Brut or Extra Brut.

2/15/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Not sure why it is called an "orange" wine since it's really more a rosé (perhaps a notch more orange in the rose colour?). Notwithstanding, it's a nice very dry white wine (notwithstanding the colour), with good mineral tones. No complaints, it's a decent wine for a good price, and a conversation starter to boot, with the less common Pedro Ximenez grape and the even less common "orange" designation.

2/10/2024 - tanguero8 wrote:

The Fond de Cave, especially the Gran Reservas is about the only in the Trapiche line, which is otherwise known more for quantity than quality, that is worth drinking. Except, to my disappointment, this particular wine which, while perfectly drinkable, was lifeless, unremarkable and rather generic. That it was smooth and easy to drink is about the only good thing I can say about it.

2/9/2024 - tanguero8 wrote:

A naturally sweet Malbec with some residual sugar and, as the label helpfully states, "for those who are being initiated into the world of wines." And indeed I shared it with someone who was not into red wines, but was willing to try a sweet one. And she liked it, so in that sense, the experiment was a success. It probably won't do much for serious wine drinkers other than as a novelty. It's from the San Juan region of Argentina.

2/9/2024 - tanguero8 wrote:

Ok sparkling for the price. Nothing to write home about.

2/2/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Had previous rated the 2017 vintage similarly well, and while most of the quality and characteristics are maintained in the 2020 vintage, it's a small step down from the 2017. Petit Verdot is not a common grape varietal in Argentina, especially in unblended form, are wines from the La Rioja province of Argentina are much lesser known even in Argentina, and certainly in the rest of the world. So this wine is a bit of a novelty, but in all the good senses! Better the second day after being opened, so I'd infer that it needs some breathing.

2/2/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

While López in Argentina is better know for its low-end wines "for the masses," the 10-year Monchenot is one of the more special ones. Aged for 10 years in oak barrels before even being released, this Bordeaux Blend is smooth and unlike most other Argentine wines. The 2004 vintage was much better but this is still good and a very good value besides.

1/26/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

While it has the right pedigree (Gran Reserva, 9 years aging), it was disappointing, not because it was not good, but because it was not as special as I was expecting. There are other Riojas in this price range that I would buy before this one.

1/5/2024 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Excellent Burgundy with strong floral notes in the bouquet just as I like. I'd have got a bunch more but no longer available at a reasonable price, but still have 5 left!

12/3/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

What can I say about this champagne that hasn't been said before? It's a classic, and even though it's practically mass-produced at this point, it's still a winner and has a perfect balance.

11/26/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Very well made and dry sparkling, in what I assume is a limited edition or small production since the bottles are numbered (I drank No. 1400). Fine mousse, champagne blend and méthode champenoise (as proudly stated on the label, thumbing their noses at the Champagne lobby--"we don't intend to sell in the EU anyway, so there!"), compares well to sparklings that are much costlier. Had never heard of the winery before and in fact they don't even have a UPC code on the label, so they don't get around much, but one of the major winery chains in Buenos Aires does seem to stock it.

11/24/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Good full-bodied Malbec with well-rounded tannins, but for the price I was expecting more character, which this lacked.

11/19/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Very nice and dry champagne blend Brut Nature from El Esteco from the northern Salta Province of Argentina. Nice mousse.

11/17/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Nice champagne blend from Viña Las Perdices (which makes an excellent Albariño as well). Very dry, as its Brut Nature indication would suggest with fine mousse. Very good price point.

11/11/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

A surprisingly good sparkling, from a winery I had never heard of before. Champagne blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and produced in "méthode champenoise." Fine mousse, elegant, properly executed. Excellent price/quality relation.

11/15/2023 - tanguero8 wrote:

My companion liked it, but I found it overly dry -- not a problem in and of itself (it is a Brut Nature after all), but it was also lacking in compensating flavours or interesting notes. Perhaps there's a reason Pinot Gris is not typically used for sparkling wines ...

11/10/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Rather harsh with uncontrolled tannins, so not particularly pleasant. Much better 1-2 days later, so aerating definitely needed, for several hours in a suitable aerator. Oddly, unlike the Cabernet Sauvignon in the same line that is aged in oak, this Malbec, if you believe the label, says it's been aged (only) in the bottle for 10 months. That would certainly explain it's "wild" side--needs to be tamed for 1 year+ by some oak, and then some years more in the bottle.

11/8/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Was surprisingly drinkable and not too sweet either. Priced at next to nothing. Opened it for a friend who likes sweet white wines but found I enjoyed it myself too!

10/26/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

A nice single-vineyard Malbec from a winery that is well known in Argentina but gets relatively little press outside. A little more acidic and lower in alcohol (13.7%) than most high-end Malbecs (which almost always exceed 14%) but this I think adds to the nice balance this wine has. The 8 years of storage I believe improved the wine and it could easily be stored for another 5 if not longer.

10/9/2023 - tanguero8 wrote:

Good enough if you like sweet wines. A basic sweet wine, quite drinkable and better than many at that price point.

10/7/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

I have fond memories of the 1985 and then 1988 vintages of this champagne, back when I first learnt to love this champagne! The subsequent vintages, probably owing to my own evolution, seem disappointing in comparison, but of course are still excellent, just perhaps no longer my favourite, other than for sentimental reasons. They seem to be released close to 10 years after the vintage and I would not suggest keeping them much longer before drinking.

10/6/2023 - tanguero8 wrote:

Have not had good luck with champagnes that are more than 10 years old, and this, 17 years later, was no exception. Well past its prime, musty corked taste and noticeably reduced carbon dioxide (right from the weak pop). Surprisingly still drinkable though not particularly enjoyable. Lesson learnt--for that price, I could have bought 20 bottles of a decent sparkling wine, each of which I would have enjoyed more.

10/5/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Decent wine, but between the pedigree and price, was expecting more. Rough edges and lack of character. A little acidic (as noted on the label), but not unpleasantly. 10 months in oak, could have done with a few more in my opinion. Certified organic. Limited edition (of a few thousand bottles, I'd guess--I had No. 1772). High 15% alcohol.

9/23/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Significantly superior to the "regular" Lanson Black Label, the Réserve has more complexity, more yeasty notes, and very pleasant and easy to drink. At a very good price point for the quality.

9/12/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

A late harvest wine but light on the sugar, so actually could be drunk with certain foods, as opposed to being strictly a dessert wine. A decent wine, probably not quite the 90 points I gave it, but it was so inexpensive that the price/quality ratio was amazing! Perfect for those who want a light slightly sweetish white wine.

9/13/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Smooth, low tannins despite 1 year in oak. Uncommon grape for Argentina, and Nina (winery from La Rioja province, which is also somewhat of a novelty) does it well. Try their Malbec and Merlot as well (but wasn't impressed by the Bonarda). The "Gran" line is noticeable superior to the standard line and for not much more of an increment in price, so the best value too.

9/3/2023 - tanguero8 wrote:

The Nina "Gran" line is of excellent quality, with at least a year in oak and some additional bottle aging. The Malbec and Petit Verdot are especially good, and even the (rare in Argentina) Merlot. But not the Bonarda--skip it but try the other varietals.

8/21/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

An intense and flavourful Malbec, in the close-to-top-of-the-line Single Vineyard production from the renowned Gualtallary vineyards of Mendoza. A major disappointment was the poor quality agglomerated cork -- at the price this wine sells, it really needed a 4 or 5 cm real cork. On top of it, the cork disintegrated upon opening (after barely 4 years in the bottle) and in trying to use alternative corkscrews to get it out properly, it ended up going inside the bottle. Definitely a case of penny-wise and pound-foolish to use a cheap sub-standard cork on a premium wine.

8/25/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

A basic but pleasant and economical late harvest wine.

7/28/2023 - tanguero8 wrote:

Seemed a good value, heavily discounted, but I guess was worth more the sale price than the list price! Drinkable but uninteresting.

7/13/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Not sure whose marketing idea it was to put a wild boar on the label (and then it has a Vegan label on the back). That would have turned me off buying it, but this one was a gift. Decent wine from Iberian regional grape varieties, good for the price.

7/6/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Lost most of its colour with age, and with a lot of sediment to boot. Nice mellow taste. Cork broke upon opening despite my efforts. Was worth the purchase.

7/10/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

A blend of Portuguese grapes, was fine for what it was, but there are better to be had for this price. Was an "emergency" purchase at a convenience store, so couldn't expect much--just got the only one they had marked "reserva."

6/16/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Expensive for Argentina, but rare find. One of the few dry white wines that actually improve with so much aging. Like nectar. Buy while you can.

6/18/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

[Edited] Enjoyed the second bottle considerably more (much smoother, muted tannins but interesting notes) so upgraded rating, so could have been variation between bottles owing to age.
[Original] Rather flat and lifeless. Drinkable but not worth the price.

6/15/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Mellow from the 20+ years and very pleasant to drink. Great price for fans of old Bordeaux!

6/12/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

My new favourite Rioja, aged just right, good oakiness and complexity, no harshness whatsoever.

5/25/2023 - tanguero8 Likes this wine:

Pleasant surprise for a very low-priced sparkling (Charmat), but from a reputable winery. Would be good value even at 2x or 3x the price so excellent at the price I got it for. Easy to drink and pleasant all the way!

5/20/2023 - tanguero8 Does not like this wine:

Ordered at a restaurant out of curiosity since I had never heard of the winery before (and I know most Argentine ones). Underwhelming, too young, no real character. At least it didn't have a "cheap wine" taste, but I did get a headache the two times I drank it (at the restaurant and the next day after I had another glass of the leftover at home)--coincidence perhaps.