March 16, 2023 - Served by a friend. Dark purple colour. Spicy nose, blackcurrant. Fruity and long palate, it's dry with a hint of sweetness. At perfect maturity now. Hints of syrah. Excellent.
June 6, 2019 - I have notes from drinking bottles in both early 2019 and in 2018 and this wine is clearly degrading, but still a lot of character. At the end of its useful life, drink in 2019. It is much mellower now and may not stand up to heartier fare.
May 17, 2019 - Possibly the best wine under $20 of all time for me. I must have gotten their reserve Privada as like this better than everyone else. Funk, raspberries, spice, dust and gravel. Medium plus finish and balanced. Sorry to have drank all of these but why wait at this level.
April 27, 2019 - Day 1: Again off the charts. Funk, spice, blueberries, tar and chocolate. Super complex and medium plus finish. The best wine of my life for under $20. 93 points
Day 2: Really integrated wine with plum, funk, spice, blueberries, chocolate and cherry. Medium plus finish. One of the best wines in the last 5 years for the money. 93 points
March 9, 2019 - Same as 8/29/18, drinking well now:Argentinian version of a right bank Bordeaux blend, done exceptionally well at quite the value. 40% Malbec, 30% each Merlot and Cab. The amount of Malbec is more than one finds with right bank Bordeaux, but it works with this one, leading off with almost Zin-like spice. The Merlot also shines with elegancy smoothing out any possible austere taste. The Cab is not the star but amps it up to just the right level. Drinking well right now with some breathing, but should be good well into 2019.
Highly recommend...seems we may have gotten this on sale for $19.99, usually see it in the $20-25 range. Great bargain at any of these prices.
February 1, 2019 - Day 1: Funk you up!!! Bordeaux like funk with blueberries, spices, menthol, minerals and gravel. This might be the best non Bordeaux like wine I have ever tasted. Scary stuff and cost less than $20. 94 points
Day 2: Funk again. Beautiful wine with blueberries, menthol, tar, gravel and minerals. Medium plus finish and balanced wine. Again scary Bordeaux like. 94 points
October 19, 2018 - Cabin Wines in Winter; 10/17/2018-10/19/2018: Day 1: Super funk, blueberries, bosenberries, subtle spices and gravel. While not Bordeaux a scary resemblance which is up there with Sena. Hard to tell how long this will go but I say drink now. 92 points
Day 2: Super funky. Blueberries, raspberries, minerals, tobacco and underbrush. Very similar to a Left Banker that cost 5 times as much. Wow! 93 points
Day 3: Wow!
Recommendation: Drink now as this is in an amazing place!
August 29, 2018 - Argentinian version of a right bank Bordeaux blend, done exceptionally well at quite the value. 40% Malbec, 30% each Merlot and Cab. The amount of Malbec is more than one finds with right bank Bordeaux, but it works with this one, leading off with almost Zin-like spice. The Merlot also shines with elegancy smoothing out any possible austere taste. The Cab is not the star but amps it up to just the right level. Drinking well right now with some breathing, but should be good well into 2019.
Highly recommend...seems we may have gotten this on sale for $19.99, usually see it in the $20-25 range. Great bargain at any of these prices.
August 28, 2018 - Day 1: Most funked up wine of the lot so far. Bordeaux like with funk, tobacco, dark currants and menthol. Medium plus and concentrated finish. Tastes like a $50 Bordeaux wine. Outstanding value again.
Day 2: Funk was not as powerful but still present. Again wonderful. 93 points
Day 3: Even better. More integrated and balanced. This wine delivers big time on the finish with nice pencil lead, vibrant fruits, gravel and coffee beans. Long finish. 94 points
Recommendation: The best bottle of the lot I bought. Certainly the front runner for my wine of the year in the QPR category!!!
August 16, 2018 - Day 1: Funk, spice, blueberries, Bing cherries and subtle oak. Medium plus finish and complex wine. This wine is a good example of why you should trust your palate and not look at others reviews. The bottles I bought have been sitting at the top of a wine shop and getting direct light. Maybe that helped age them but anyone scoring this under 90 is not drinking the same bottle I am. 92 points
Day 2: Similar to day 1. 92 points
Day 3: Drops off a little with less of the great Bordeaux like funk. Still offers the nice fruit and spices on the finish add to the wine. Very solid on day 3. 90 points
Recommendation: I would consume this on a pop and pour with friends and if you are going solo consume on day 2.