Deep garnet in color with a slightly bricking/red edge. Nose of cherries, crushed blackberry, and hints of dark chocolate and leather. Tastes of dark cherries, blackberry, tobacco, and moca. Nice purity of fruit. Fully resolved tannins. Well balanced with slightly pronounced acidity. At its prime. Drink over the next 3-4 years.
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Still drinking nicely. Some earthiness on the nose. Bright acidity, deep color. More fruit would have made it more enjoyable I think. Past prime but still good
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Deep garnet in color with a slightly bricking/red edge. Nose of cherries, blueberries, and hints of milk chocolate and leather. Tastes of cherries, blueberries, tobacco, and moca. Lovely purity of fruit. Fully resolved tannins. Well balanced with slightly pronounced acidity. At its prime. Drink over the next 3-5 years.
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Dark purple in the glass with a black core. Blackberry, cocoa, and cassis on the nose and palate. Full body. Medium acidity. Medium tannins. Probably on the downward trend, but still a satisfying drink.
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Blackberry jam hit me in the face on opening. Cloudy and dense in the glass. Others have noted the acidity at first, and I concur.. but over an hour it receded and all I could focus on was the purely enjoyable blackberry fruit. Time to drink..
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This is my last of four bottles, and 4.5 years since I last opened one, but holy cow, this evolves at a glacial pace. No way in the world this looks, smells, or tastes like a ten and a half year old wine, other than that at the bottom there is some precipitated sediment. Rich, aromatic, big fruit, moderately big but pleasing oak. Drinking darn fine yet still fresh in character. 90-91+ Drink or hold.
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My favorite Argentinian wine, last bottle of this popped to honor Pope Francis' visit to the US. Bottle is definitely on the downturn from its prime. Enjoyable, but my tastes are liking the Quimera more on the younger side.
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We opened 10 bottles of Quimera from 10 different vintages, from 2002 through 2011 (all of them were properly kept in a temperature and humidity controlled cellar). Vintages 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009 were outstanding! Particularly 2002 and 2003 were not only holding well, they were spectacular, still at their peak! 2004 was, for some reason “gone". Maybe the bottle was exposed to heat before I purchased, or something happened to it. 2010 was corked!! 2007 was "weird", and were not able to pinpoint why! 2011 never quite "opened" like the others. Maybe it was too early to drink! Not very expressive, either on the nose or the palate. Will have to try again in a few years to see if it was just a matter of time!
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Sadly, the '05 vintage not faring as well as the '04 in the aging department. If you've got it, drink it. It has not "turned" so to speak, but it is not improving at this point. Right out of the bottle, what hits you first is a streak of acid. I like acid in wine, but something was a little off about this. Next was a bit of hard tannin and lastly, the fruit. Disjointed at the open, it did improve over an hour in the glass, but fell off just as fast. When hitting peak, one has to be impressed with the purity and delicoius blackberry bramble of the black fruit. It is not a heavy or oaky wine--no mouth-coating or legs here- but the finesse and elegance of a successful blending through cellaring not apparent in this vintage.
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{4+ yrs since last tasted} Medium ruby, clear, no sign of age. Inviting aromas of blackberry, cut tobacco, earth, vanilla bean and cassis, with flavors largely following to the medium-bodied palate. Acids are outliving the fruit (yet to dry out at all, but absolutely drink now as it's not getting better), and the tannins, once so dominant and powerful, have faded and resolved. On the back half of its life trajectory, with the (short, 5 seconds) finish giving the hand away that this is beginning to tire. 13,5% abv (resolved), drink now.
Opened at 9am to inspect, re-corked and served 10 hours later, non-blind. Do not aerate in decanter, too fragile.
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Last and by far best bottle of this wine. Dark fruit with a bit of herb and earth. Well balanced. Ringer for good, sort of modern bdx. Appears tht this wine is probably just now hitting its prime.
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My 5th and last bottle and it is drinking better than ever. This bottle seems to have a little more fruit than what I remember. But I found the wine to strike a good balance between the earthiness of Malbec and the fruit of Merlot and Cab. Drinking well now and came into its own about 30-45 mins after opening. Solid wine.
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Plenty of fruit in my bottle, but i'm finding this a little more "New World" than others. There appear to be some off flavors that remind me of overripe fruit, somewhat stewed. A well balanced wine that appears to have many years ahead of it. Would have guessed 2005 Bordeaux had i tasted this blind.
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Decanted for 30 mins. Pleasant not memorable. Aged has helped this wine smooth out its tannins, beautiful mineral and earthy core. I would not wait much longer as the fruit seems to faded a little.
Very nice plush mouth feel, flavors of dark berries, currants and charred oak. Wine is very balanced and integrated. This needs an hour to open up and lasted several days corked. I paid about $20 for this bottle and is a great value. If you paid $30, you might have had better choices.
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Very nice. Third wine of the night, so judgement could be a little off. Started with a mild funk on the nose. Opened quickly to a fine wine. Over the next two hours it increased in complexity. It actually held up with some big hitting Cali cabs. Not the same, but quite nice!
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Medium purple color. Dark raspberry, chocolate covered cherries, charred oak and vanilla notes on the nose. Similar flavors on the palate with ripe dark fruits and oak notes. Medium tannin with a plush mouthfeel. Acid could be higher though. Nice finish. Tasty wine with big flavors but also easy drinking. Paired great with smoky bbq pork.
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Cloudy, even after a coffee filter decanting. Blueberry, dust, spice on aroma, pleasant blueberry and plum to taste. Surprisingly not tannic, medium length finish.
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Very good, but was hoping for more. Nice balance and tannins present but not overwhelming. Dark fruit with some earth. Drinking fine. NO hurry to finish, but not sure that more age will significantly improve this wine.
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I was a little disappointed with this. Was hoping for a little bit more. It was extremely well balanced, and offered nice fruit, but nothing else. There was no something special to it. I remember going gaga over this when it came out. Wish I had of held it longer just to see what happens. That's the problem with only having one bottle.
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Beautiful vegetal quality, perfectly tuned tannins. I mean, perfect. Balance to the hilt; gorgeous fruit and earth; acidity. Refined, elegant. This wine brings a helluva lot. Needs decanting.
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Serious but not overly complex wine. Superb pairing with my steak on a spicy chipotle & green tomatillo sauce. Full decant, it took over 2 hours to come into its own, at the beginning the fruit was extremely muted and had a strong metalic smell to it. I have 3 bottles left, I can't figure if I need to drink them now or cellar some more.
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Decanted for around 30 mins. Medium purple color. Great nose as this wine opened up. Dusty blueberries, some dark currants and plums, some vanilla and cedar on the nose. More of the same on the palate with lush black and blue fruit with milk chocolate on the back end. Acid is on the low side so the wine feels a little soft but the tannins are still holding strong to give the wine some structure. Smooth mouthfeel and finish. I would not hold this wine for the long haul. Drinking well right now with or without food.
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Very consistent with other notes here - dark purple color with Cassis, dark fruit, some cherry and even licorice on the nose. Not a particularly strong mid palate but a great juicy finish with juicy fruits and still kind of grippy tannins. Just starting to come into its own but can still go another 3-5yrs
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Blackish red color. Cigar box, juicy mulberry, blackberry, garden herbs on the nose. Medium full bodied with charcoal grilled blackberry and rhubarb. Rich and chewy with a ripe tannin finish.
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A juicy malbec, focused around black fruits, licorice, cedar box, spice, graphite and some floral notes. This breaks down a bit on the palate but bounces back with a juicy finish. 37% Malbec, 28% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon 10% Cabernet Franc.
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Achaval Ferrer Quimera 2005 is full of dark fruits and spices. The palate is rich and spicy with balance and depth. I find the wines of Achaval Ferrer need a few years to open and develop in the bottle. I tried this wine over two years ago and it was tannic and closed. 37% mabec 28% merlot 25% cabernet sauvignon 10% cabernet franc. At $36 I give it a solid 92+. I hear the 2006 is even better. I really enjoy the wines of Argentina especially the old vine cuvees.
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A tasty wine all around. While this began with some bread dough, it quickly yielded to high toned cherry and cassis. Lots of Graves-like notes with solid depth and focus. Very celebrity, reminds me of Hollywood's take on what cowboy movie stars were like in the 60's. Medium + length on the smooth, grippy finish. This will likely hit its stride in another year or two and drink for 6+ after that. Be sure to decant for at least an hour if drinking anytime soon.
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Great wine. Very little age (from the color of the wine) - blackish / red. Nose was a little muted (decanted over 2 hours thanks to other CT users). Blackberry / tobacco on the nose. Full mouthfeel with a long finish. Tannins are still there on the finish. Nice fruit (black fruits primarily) / acid balance. This was excellent with a chimmichuri (sp) grilled skirt steak. Would buy again.
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May Fete Deck Party 2010: This was decanted for sediment and it liked the airtime. This is a very nice blend, well-knit, not overextracted but showing more concentration than 2 years ago, basically now hitting its drinking window and drinking well. 91
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Upon opening, the fruit was hiding and the tannins were a little too strong. Decant at least one hour and the wine becomes more integrated, flavors pronounced, lush and balanced. I might wait another year before I open another.
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Popped and poured but drank over two nights. Dense purple red. This was too closed on first night and rather than tossing it off I expected it would bloom more on second night, and it pretty much did just that. Big fresh nose with red liqueur, brambly berries, cigar box, menthol, pencil lead, shoe polish, touch of dill. Medium body. The palate reveals cassis, vanilla, dark rum, smoked meat, malt, even something like prunes steamed with soy sauce. (The first night there was a thick vegetative quality, but it was blessedly absent night two.) It is quite appealing with a stout but not obtrusive backbone. A nice hybrid between new and old world features. I believe this will improve for at least a couple + years.
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Popped and poured. Medium-plus purple/garnet hue. Expressive perfume of blackberry, plum, creme de cassis, espresso roast, and hints of oak. Medium-plus body. Absolutely singing on the palate, with layers of black fruits complimented by subtle complexities and nuances of scorched earth, vanilla bean, herbaceous green notes, and a distinct note of minerals. Medium-plus level of acidity and fine grained tannins give this wine tremendous balance on the plus finish. Delicious, and a great example of a Bordeaux blend from Argentina. Should continue to improve and age well for many years.
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Tried this wine at the winery in Mendoza in November of '09 and again today, January 24th. Tighter today with only 30 minutes to breath but the nose still brought it's A game. Damp straw/hay dominates, cedar elements, almost cork like (but not "corked"), dark fruit backs it up. Feels like it has potential to age but not entirely convinced it won't go south sooner than we hope. (Colts win AFC Championship! Sorry Vaynerchuk, were going back to Miami!)
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After 30 min decant, this was very aromatic, showing a mix of dark fruits, green stalks, tobacco, spices and even cilantro on day two. Malbec is pronounced on palate, but cab franc also shines through. Firm tannic frame and well integrated oak. Should be even better in a few years.
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This wine is drinking well now - the malbec flavors dominate the blend- giving the wine a dark, purplish color and spicy flavors on the palate. The nose is aromatic with hints of floral and underbrush. To be honest, this drinks more to me like a CA syrah than a bordeaux blend. This is fruity, with purple-black fruit flavors yielding concentrated flavors and a long finish, with oak in balance, giving this a bit of creaminess. Would like to see how this drinks 5 years down the line too.
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Very wound up, will reward a good bit of cellaring. Lots of tobacco, and almost little campfire on the nose. Dark stone fruit on the palette, long but tight finish that should mellow with time
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Popped and poured. Dark purple hue. Expressive aromatically, with notes of black fruits, expresso bean, grilled meats, and a touch of smoke. Medium-plus body. On the palate, flavors of mountain berries, black currant, and plummy fruits are complemented by roasted herbs, vanilla bean, grilling spices, and other notes of oak. The tannins are quite astringent but complemented nicely by a plus level of acidity (perfect for food)...in fact, those who prefer a red with smooth, round tannins should stay away from this for at least 3-5 years as this one requires time to mellow out. Still, this is an outstanding example of a Bordeaux-style blend from Argentina and a great deal for less than $25.
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DO NOT OPEN THIS WINE FOR SEVERAL YEARS! I have had a few Quimera and find them rather tight. This is a structured wine that needs many more years of bottle age. It was not so much the tannis - though they were present - but the components of the wine have not integrated in to seamless beauty I believe this will become. I think WS has drinking window in the short term. and WA in the longer term. My vote goes to the WA (and Jay Miller).
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I made a mistake in opening this wine - it clearly needs to sleep for another four to five years. At first it was dominated by nutty oak and hard tannins. It slowly opened with aeration, but did not really begin to show itself until the following night. By then, the oak had integrated and the tannins, which were definitely still present, were more in balance. This wine has a ton of stuffing and a lot going on, but it needs some time to resolve itself.
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This is an absolute steal for the money. This wine has a dark purple color and more of a heavy bodied wine with a pleasing alcohol level of 13.5%. The wine has a complex nose of red berries, blueberries, chocolate, spices and other aromas I am not able to identify. It tastes of blue berries, black cherry, cassis, vanilla and spices, it has a long lingering after taste of what seems like black cherry and coffee. While it is drinking good now, I think this wine is a few years away from hitting its peak. It will easily go 10 to 12+ years from vintage date, and possibly longer. For the price, I am seriously thinking of buying at least a case of this maybe two cases. If you want to have some fun, do a blind tasting and have this one as one of them!!
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Dr Jay sais 40 % less wood this year and I think that there is nothing wrong with that. Smooth deep and structured. Gets better with several hrs of air. Great QPR Solid.
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Blind tasting group liked this off the bat but favored a competing tempranillo. However, after decanted for 2 hours it came out in front as it opened up. One guessed cab, (28% after malbec), but moderate malbec contribution is notable with round fruit, licorice nose and rising acidity (from the cab franc?). This was a bargain for the level of enjoyment, and I recommend decanting an hour or so.
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Decanted for 1.5 hours. Dark purple color. Loaded nose of dark fruits (blueberry, plums, black currant), along with some clove and similar baking spice notes. Similar flavors on the palate with a touch of oak and berry reduction sauce flavors. The wine drinks incredibly smooth on the palate and is the fruit is lush and the tannins are soft. The high proportion of malbec and merlot in this wine probably account for that. Pleasant finish although not too long. Very nice wine.
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After a hugely disappointing experience with a low level 03 BDX yesterday this wine was a home run. Decanted for 2 hours and served at cellar temp. Gorgeous purple color with a lovely perfume of violets, milk chocolate and wild cherries. Great density and purity of fruit. Raspberry, chocolate and wild flowers dominate the palate and the finish is quite long. I actually liked this quite a bit more than the 100% Malbec Finca Altamira that sells for double. A truly wonderful btl of wine that sells for a song. Buy it by the case !!!
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Decanted about 45 min, which undoubtedly makes a bit difference for this wine. The nose is rich with cherry, fig and chocolate. Beautiful deep violet color so common in Argentine malbecs. Superb in the mouth with big, round fruit and fine tannin structure. It should cellar quite well over the next 2-3 years.
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A very pleasurable wine with red fruit and floral notes on the nose. Very soft without any hard or bracing aromas. Very smooth and sleek. Not huge on the palate but nice complexity and palate weight. Moderate finish with integrated tannins.
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I have loved the Quimera for the past two vintages. I'm a huge fan of Achaval Ferrer, whose quality is tremendous. This vintage is comprised of 37% Malbec, 28% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Nice Paulliac-like color: dark purple, black toward the center (5 points). Soil, vanilla, mesquite, flan, and cherry preserves on the nose, which was complex and continued to evolve during the evening (8.5 points). On the palate, the Quimera presented citrus, leather, black raspberries, and charred beef. Prominent acidity attacked the mid-palate, with a medium to full body (14 points). The finish was long and smooth, with dry tannins coating the tongue (8 points). Overall, a great mid-priced fine wine ($32.00 at K&L). Although distinctly New World, Achaval Ferrer consistently strives for Old World complexity and restraint (8.5 points). Highly recommended.
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This wine MUST BE DECANTED! I almost gave this wine a 83 point rating base on the pop-n-pour experience but after a few hours in the decanter it turns out to be an absolute gem. On the nose it is rich with berries, sour cherries, currant, milk chocolate, and herbs. In the mouth it explodes with cherries and mocha with a wonderful spring bouquet of flowers and herbs; I pick hints of Thyme which I can't remember ever having in a wine. The tannins are so delicate. Finishes wonderfully floral but too bad it doesn't stretch for as long as I would like. An absolute clear winner even in the $50 range. Given the sub $30 price tag I will be ordering by the 6-pack.
Remember, you don't drink the label.
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This is a very premium wine from argenina. On the nose is dirty with a very interesting trip to licors. currants, clackcurrants ans some flowers. is a medium body kind very intereting and the tannins are not agressive. Has a 40 sec finish with a retrotaste of jelly plum. Maybe is still very young ill try this wine on the next five years get a lot more. Super, Super, Super.
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Fabulous buy. Brackish and dirty on the nose at first, giving way to a very nice range of licorice and currants and raspberries and flowers and forest. The mid-palate is structured, with mouth-coating (but not biting) tannins. And the finish is decent for the price. Intriguing stuff.
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Decanted an hour plus, with quite a bit of sediment. This is an enjoyable food-friendly blend but the fruit concentration was a little disappointing; showed on the acidic side, but I didn't find the tannins to be obtrusive. On a fast evolutionary track -- this was more approachable now than the 03 was last winter, but still could use some time to integrate.
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When looking for really good wine from Argentina, you needn't look any further then Achaval Ferrer. Quimera is a great blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc and is decently priced at around $30-35. The color is dark inky violet red and the nose shows lots of blueberry and some black licorice with a bit of alcohol showing through as well. Flavors are very primary and somewhat closed up at this young age and the tannins are quite firm. Obviously way to young to really show it's stuffing at this point but given enough time to unravel itself it should be pretty good. I would rate at 89+ and it definitely has the potential for a higher score if everything comes together down the road.
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A premium argentinean wine! Floral aromas start to emerge as soon as the bottle is open, and at first nose it has light tones of dry berries. At tasting, you can savour balanced tanins, ripped cherries. It has a prolonged finish, with more than 15 secs in the palate. Although the wine was excelent, it will be far better in at least 10 or 12 years.
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Dark Inky Red Color, black current on the alcoholic nose, dark cherries, licorice, cola and fruity nose. medium bodied,smooth tannins, licorice,black currants, 1 hr decant, short to med finish,lacking complexity. I thought the wine was a disappointment from the 92 points RP gave. Its did not wow me like a 92 points.
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No formal notes, but this was really good. Needed quite a bit of time to open up, but showed beautiful dark fruit and mineral...Was great with the grilled flank steak.
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Nicely made wine that paired well with grilled sirloin, shitake mushrooms and zucchini. Definitey not going to get any better, if you have this vintage pop and pour! After a double decant to rid a small amount of sediment and open it up, this was an easy drink and went well with the food and by itself.
Not too knowledgable on S.A. wines but know this producer is pretty consistent. I think this represents good QPR but could be mistaken.
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Intense fruit but not a bomb. Licorice and spice with plum and cherry. And all around enjoyable experience. It works with food, but a nice cocktail wine also.
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We purchased a bottle to taste and see if we want to buy some to cellar. Yes, we do!! In my opinion, this wine is approachable now - but I look forward to watching it evolve over time. Dark fruit, red fruit and cedar dominate a very intruiging nose that hints at everything from vanilla to blueberry pie to cinnamon - all over a base of mineral, barnyard and chocolate.
This would be great with roasted pork loin.
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A gift from a buddy of mine: he got a bottle of Single Cask Jack D prior to the offer of the wine.
I opened this and drank it over three nights. Good balance, plenty of fruit and a load of stuffing. Frankly, I have been more impressed with some south american wines than those from the north! This had similar intensity and spunk that the Almaviva showed some time back (perhaps our next wine group should be South of the Border specials!). I felt that the ripeness was quite interesting as I have had little experience with growing/climatic infuence in the area. I will leave a drinking window to others--but urge you to try some wines from the region.
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We tasted three different wines for my birthday and WOW, what a bottle of wine this is. Even those at home who din't know much about wine, were able to rate this one "exceptional". Deep ruby/violet vibrant color with elegant scents of cocoa, leather, earth and toasty oak; on the palate, sublime taste of everything priviously smelled, but in a perfect balance, not much of or missing anything; a finish that satisfy your palate and enchant your senses for 30-40 seconds that seem out of this world. Best wine I ever tasted, I would definitely continue to buy Quimera! One other great attribute about this wine is its affordable price (at least at winelibrary.com).
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Very purple color. Nose of Raspberries, Grape Cool Aid and buttery Oak. The attack was a dose of cranberries followed by raspberries. The mid palate was sweet grape soda that transitioned into tannic and tangy tannins. A young wine to be sure. Needs time to come together. A well made but the flavors are not my cup of tea.
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Inky purple. Closed; just a bit of mineral and tobacco, with subtle sweaty undertones. Nicely extracted, with great structure courtesy of contributions from both acidity and tannin. Mouthwatering finish. Well made but extremely young.
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Mini OL of the board in Mendoza, Argentina; 11/3/2005-11/4/2005 (Mendoza, Argentina): This wine shows good depth of color with an open nose of prunes, cherries and some mineral elements and a round attack, good structure and mid palate and great lenght with a good level of complexity. A great quimera, I was quite amazed at how approachable it was having tasted it directly from the Barrel
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4/18/2020 - efeldhake@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep garnet in color with a slightly bricking/red edge. Nose of cherries, crushed blackberry, and hints of dark chocolate and leather. Tastes of dark cherries, blackberry, tobacco, and moca. Nice purity of fruit. Fully resolved tannins. Well balanced with slightly pronounced acidity. At its prime. Drink over the next 3-4 years.
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3/30/2019 - SL_Wine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still drinking nicely. Some earthiness on the nose. Bright acidity, deep color. More fruit would have made it more enjoyable I think. Past prime but still good
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12/21/2017 - efeldhake@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Deep garnet in color with a slightly bricking/red edge. Nose of cherries, blueberries, and hints of milk chocolate and leather. Tastes of cherries, blueberries, tobacco, and moca. Lovely purity of fruit. Fully resolved tannins. Well balanced with slightly pronounced acidity. At its prime. Drink over the next 3-5 years.
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12/6/2017 - iByron Likes this wine: 88 Points
Dark purple in the glass with a black core. Blackberry, cocoa, and cassis on the nose and palate. Full body. Medium acidity. Medium tannins. Probably on the downward trend, but still a satisfying drink.
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9/10/2017 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP. Holding up better than I would have guessed. Still in its prime and very lovely. 13.5%
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8/27/2016 - TCKM wrote: 91 Points
Blackberry jam hit me in the face on opening. Cloudy and dense in the glass. Others have noted the acidity at first, and I concur.. but over an hour it receded and all I could focus on was the purely enjoyable blackberry fruit. Time to drink..
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3/21/2016 - Mandiyu Likes this wine: 96 Points
So great. Fruit and oak. Nice tanin
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12/4/2015 - MindMuse wrote: 91 Points
This is my last of four bottles, and 4.5 years since I last opened one, but holy cow, this evolves at a glacial pace. No way in the world this looks, smells, or tastes like a ten and a half year old wine, other than that at the bottom there is some precipitated sediment. Rich, aromatic, big fruit, moderately big but pleasing oak. Drinking darn fine yet still fresh in character. 90-91+ Drink or hold.
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11/11/2015 - proteusjc Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really good,
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9/22/2015 - plasticman Likes this wine: 87 Points
My favorite Argentinian wine, last bottle of this popped to honor Pope Francis' visit to the US. Bottle is definitely on the downturn from its prime. Enjoyable, but my tastes are liking the Quimera more on the younger side.
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6/14/2015 - Winiac wrote: 91 Points
Pure red fruit with beginning of secondary flavors. Long length. Pretty good wine.
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4/21/2015 - JavierE Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fruity, medium body, well balanced!
We opened 10 bottles of Quimera from 10 different vintages, from 2002 through 2011 (all of them were properly kept in a temperature and humidity controlled cellar). Vintages 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009 were outstanding! Particularly 2002 and 2003 were not only holding well, they were spectacular, still at their peak!
2004 was, for some reason “gone". Maybe the bottle was exposed to heat before I purchased, or something happened to it. 2010 was corked!! 2007 was "weird", and were not able to pinpoint why! 2011 never quite "opened" like the others. Maybe it was too early to drink!
Not very expressive, either on the nose or the palate. Will have to try again in a few years to see if it was just a matter of time!
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3/5/2015 - NavyGrog wrote: 87 Points
Drank with Thai food. Not as good as when a little younger. The winery in Argentina is really nice.
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12/17/2014 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely. Drink now.
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12/7/2014 - SexyEpicurean wrote: 87 Points
Sadly, the '05 vintage not faring as well as the '04 in the aging department. If you've got it, drink it. It has not "turned" so to speak, but it is not improving at this point. Right out of the bottle, what hits you first is a streak of acid. I like acid in wine, but something was a little off about this. Next was a bit of hard tannin and lastly, the fruit. Disjointed at the open, it did improve over an hour in the glass, but fell off just as fast. When hitting peak, one has to be impressed with the purity and delicoius blackberry bramble of the black fruit. It is not a heavy or oaky wine--no mouth-coating or legs here- but the finesse and elegance of a successful blending through cellaring not apparent in this vintage.
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11/15/2014 - Tim Heaton wrote:
{4+ yrs since last tasted} Medium ruby, clear, no sign of age. Inviting aromas of blackberry, cut tobacco, earth, vanilla bean and cassis, with flavors largely following to the medium-bodied palate. Acids are outliving the fruit (yet to dry out at all, but absolutely drink now as it's not getting better), and the tannins, once so dominant and powerful, have faded and resolved. On the back half of its life trajectory, with the (short, 5 seconds) finish giving the hand away that this is beginning to tire. 13,5% abv (resolved), drink now.
Opened at 9am to inspect, re-corked and served 10 hours later, non-blind. Do not aerate in decanter, too fragile.
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10/17/2014 - Uncle John wrote: 90 Points
Decanted this for 2 hours and it didn't need it. This lost some of its edge and opened up to much. Was better when first opened.
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11/27/2013 - maxima wrote: 89 Points
Beaucoup de matière, un peu austère en ce moment.
Fruit noir au nez et assez tannique en bouche. Très long mais pas encore prêt!
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6/17/2013 - meatman wrote: 90 Points
Needs 1+ hour decant in order for the fruit to come thru. Nice balance and went well with a steak.
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5/14/2013 - Armando B wrote: 91 Points
Last and by far best bottle of this wine. Dark fruit with a bit of herb and earth. Well balanced. Ringer for good, sort of modern bdx. Appears tht this wine is probably just now hitting its prime.
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3/28/2013 - vinomex wrote: 91 Points
My 5th and last bottle and it is drinking better than ever. This bottle seems to have a little more fruit than what I remember. But I found the wine to strike a good balance between the earthiness of Malbec and the fruit of Merlot and Cab. Drinking well now and came into its own about 30-45 mins after opening. Solid wine.
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3/27/2013 - khmark7 wrote: 87 Points
Plenty of fruit in my bottle, but i'm finding this a little more "New World" than others. There appear to be some off flavors that remind me of overripe fruit, somewhat stewed. A well balanced wine that appears to have many years ahead of it. Would have guessed 2005 Bordeaux had i tasted this blind.
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3/23/2013 - Lord Hamsterly Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fruitier than I expected. A delicious wine but a few more earthy notes would have made it superb.
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2/23/2013 - gordoyflaca wrote: 92 Points
Currants and dark cherries, more restrained than expected, old world vibe
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11/20/2012 - vinomex wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 30 mins. Pleasant not memorable. Aged has helped this wine smooth out its tannins, beautiful mineral and earthy core. I would not wait much longer as the fruit seems to faded a little.
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11/10/2012 - wine4me2 wrote: 90 Points
Very nice plush mouth feel, flavors of dark berries, currants and charred oak. Wine is very balanced and integrated. This needs an hour to open up and lasted several days corked. I paid about $20 for this bottle and is a great value. If you paid $30, you might have had better choices.
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10/28/2012 - Jflawrence wrote: 91 Points
Very nice. Third wine of the night, so judgement could be a little off. Started with a mild funk on the nose. Opened quickly to a fine wine. Over the next two hours it increased in complexity. It actually held up with some big hitting Cali cabs. Not the same, but quite nice!
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10/6/2012 - DoubleMagnum wrote: 87 Points
5 years on my cellar and it's going through a mute phase? Disappointing.
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8/7/2012 - Rich S wrote: 91 Points
Medium purple color. Dark raspberry, chocolate covered cherries, charred oak and vanilla notes on the nose. Similar flavors on the palate with ripe dark fruits and oak notes. Medium tannin with a plush mouthfeel. Acid could be higher though. Nice finish. Tasty wine with big flavors but also easy drinking. Paired great with smoky bbq pork.
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6/7/2012 - Armando B wrote: 88 Points
Consistent with notes re my previous bottle.
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5/21/2012 - jeffal66 wrote: 91 Points
Very good pizza wine, take note. Drinking well (if not a little past prime). Acidity in food coaxes out the wonderful and dense dark fruit. Residue.
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3/21/2012 - Heart Plumber wrote: 84 Points
Cloudy, even after a coffee filter decanting. Blueberry, dust, spice on aroma, pleasant blueberry and plum to taste. Surprisingly not tannic, medium length finish.
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1/26/2012 - Armando B wrote: 89 Points
Very good, but was hoping for more. Nice balance and tannins present but not overwhelming. Dark fruit with some earth. Drinking fine. NO hurry to finish, but not sure that more age will significantly improve this wine.
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1/20/2012 - jimkay21 wrote:
Possibly faulty - cloudy and sour. An 83 but I'll with hold scoring untilI try another bottle.
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12/22/2011 - Wop wrote: 94 Points
Double decanted for 2 hrs, then drunk with aged Delmonicos. An amazing pairing.
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11/27/2011 - hutch wrote: 88 Points
I was a little disappointed with this. Was hoping for a little bit more. It was extremely well balanced, and offered nice fruit, but nothing else. There was no something special to it. I remember going gaga over this when it came out. Wish I had of held it longer just to see what happens. That's the problem with only having one bottle.
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11/18/2011 - jeffal66 wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful vegetal quality, perfectly tuned tannins. I mean, perfect. Balance to the hilt; gorgeous fruit and earth; acidity. Refined, elegant. This wine brings a helluva lot. Needs decanting.
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6/19/2011 - vinomex wrote: 90 Points
Serious but not overly complex wine. Superb pairing with my steak on a spicy chipotle & green tomatillo sauce. Full decant, it took over 2 hours to come into its own, at the beginning the fruit was extremely muted and had a strong metalic smell to it. I have 3 bottles left, I can't figure if I need to drink them now or cellar some more.
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6/12/2011 - SFortier wrote: 90 Points
Superbe!
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6/3/2011 - Rich S wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for around 30 mins. Medium purple color. Great nose as this wine opened up. Dusty blueberries, some dark currants and plums, some vanilla and cedar on the nose. More of the same on the palate with lush black and blue fruit with milk chocolate on the back end. Acid is on the low side so the wine feels a little soft but the tannins are still holding strong to give the wine some structure. Smooth mouthfeel and finish. I would not hold this wine for the long haul. Drinking well right now with or without food.
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5/13/2011 - rschoemehl wrote: 90 Points
opaque, almost milky in the sunlight. Anise. seemless.
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5/1/2011 - fudp wrote: 89 Points
Very consistent with other notes here - dark purple color with Cassis, dark fruit, some cherry and even licorice on the nose. Not a particularly strong mid palate but a great juicy finish with juicy fruits and still kind of grippy tannins. Just starting to come into its own but can still go another 3-5yrs
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4/30/2011 - MindMuse wrote: 90 Points
Blackish red color. Cigar box, juicy mulberry, blackberry, garden herbs on the nose. Medium full bodied with charcoal grilled blackberry and rhubarb. Rich and chewy with a ripe tannin finish.
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4/7/2011 - Armando B wrote: flawed
off bottle
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4/6/2011 - boreddoughboy wrote: 84 Points
not impressed. oak. stewed prunes. Off bottle?
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3/4/2011 - InternationalWineReport wrote: 89 Points
A juicy malbec, focused around black fruits, licorice, cedar box, spice, graphite and some floral notes. This breaks down a bit on the palate but bounces back with a juicy finish. 37% Malbec, 28% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon 10% Cabernet Franc.
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2/5/2011 - Uncle John wrote: 92 Points
Achaval Ferrer Quimera 2005 is full of dark fruits and spices. The palate is rich and spicy with balance and depth. I find the wines of Achaval Ferrer need a few years to open and develop in the bottle. I tried this wine over two years ago and it was tannic and closed. 37% mabec 28% merlot 25% cabernet sauvignon 10% cabernet franc. At $36 I give it a solid 92+. I hear the 2006 is even better. I really enjoy the wines of Argentina especially the old vine cuvees.
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12/12/2010 - Lobonick wrote: 92 Points
Drank a few hours ago. Really nice. Concentrated flavor. Blueberry and spice. Very long finish.
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8/19/2010 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
A tasty wine all around. While this began with some bread dough, it quickly yielded to high toned cherry and cassis. Lots of Graves-like notes with solid depth and focus. Very celebrity, reminds me of Hollywood's take on what cowboy movie stars were like in the 60's. Medium + length on the smooth, grippy finish. This will likely hit its stride in another year or two and drink for 6+ after that. Be sure to decant for at least an hour if drinking anytime soon.
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8/9/2010 - TCKM wrote: 91 Points
Firm tannic structure, rich dark berry fruit, great length.
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7/20/2010 - eschuldt wrote: 91 Points
Really enjoyed this bottle, ran through Vinturi and let sit in the glass for 30 minutes. Nice tannic structure and great dark fruit profile.
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7/6/2010 - vinomex wrote: 90 Points
Evolving very well with age.
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5/9/2010 - CWilliam wrote: 91 Points
Great wine. Very little age (from the color of the wine) - blackish / red. Nose was a little muted (decanted over 2 hours thanks to other CT users). Blackberry / tobacco on the nose. Full mouthfeel with a long finish. Tannins are still there on the finish. Nice fruit (black fruits primarily) / acid balance. This was excellent with a chimmichuri (sp) grilled skirt steak. Would buy again.
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5/1/2010 - silton wrote:
May Fete Deck Party 2010: This was decanted for sediment and it liked the airtime. This is a very nice blend, well-knit, not overextracted but showing more concentration than 2 years ago, basically now hitting its drinking window and drinking well. 91
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4/25/2010 - wine4me2 wrote: 90 Points
Upon opening, the fruit was hiding and the tannins were a little too strong. Decant at least one hour and the wine becomes more integrated, flavors pronounced, lush and balanced. I might wait another year before I open another.
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4/4/2010 - timdrex wrote: 91 Points
Great blend, great value.
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2/19/2010 - Capt M wrote: 91 Points
Extraordinary wine; almost a fruit bomb, with fine nuances and harmony. Also very good backbone. Delicious fruit, backbone, and harmony between two.
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2/3/2010 - MindMuse wrote: 91 Points
Popped and poured but drank over two nights. Dense purple red. This was too closed on first night and rather than tossing it off I expected it would bloom more on second night, and it pretty much did just that. Big fresh nose with red liqueur, brambly berries, cigar box, menthol, pencil lead, shoe polish, touch of dill. Medium body. The palate reveals cassis, vanilla, dark rum, smoked meat, malt, even something like prunes steamed with soy sauce. (The first night there was a thick vegetative quality, but it was blessedly absent night two.) It is quite appealing with a stout but not obtrusive backbone. A nice hybrid between new and old world features. I believe this will improve for at least a couple + years.
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1/27/2010 - *Vine* wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured. Medium-plus purple/garnet hue. Expressive perfume of blackberry, plum, creme de cassis, espresso roast, and hints of oak. Medium-plus body. Absolutely singing on the palate, with layers of black fruits complimented by subtle complexities and nuances of scorched earth, vanilla bean, herbaceous green notes, and a distinct note of minerals. Medium-plus level of acidity and fine grained tannins give this wine tremendous balance on the plus finish. Delicious, and a great example of a Bordeaux blend from Argentina. Should continue to improve and age well for many years.
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1/24/2010 - Soundcaresser wrote: 90 Points
Tried this wine at the winery in Mendoza in November of '09 and again today, January 24th. Tighter today with only 30 minutes to breath but the nose still brought it's A game. Damp straw/hay dominates, cedar elements, almost cork like (but not "corked"), dark fruit backs it up. Feels like it has potential to age but not entirely convinced it won't go south sooner than we hope. (Colts win AFC Championship! Sorry Vaynerchuk, were going back to Miami!)
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11/5/2009 - TCKM wrote: 91 Points
After 30 min decant, this was very aromatic, showing a mix of dark fruits, green stalks, tobacco, spices and even cilantro on day two. Malbec is pronounced on palate, but cab franc also shines through. Firm tannic frame and well integrated oak. Should be even better in a few years.
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10/12/2009 - amateurwino wrote: 91 Points
This wine is drinking well now - the malbec flavors dominate the blend- giving the wine a dark, purplish color and spicy flavors on the palate. The nose is aromatic with hints of floral and underbrush. To be honest, this drinks more to me like a CA syrah than a bordeaux blend. This is fruity, with purple-black fruit flavors yielding concentrated flavors and a long finish, with oak in balance, giving this a bit of creaminess. Would like to see how this drinks 5 years down the line too.
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8/11/2009 - gnubik wrote: 92 Points
Very wound up, will reward a good bit of cellaring. Lots of tobacco, and almost little campfire on the nose. Dark stone fruit on the palette, long but tight finish that should mellow with time
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8/1/2009 - *Vine* wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. Dark purple hue. Expressive aromatically, with notes of black fruits, expresso bean, grilled meats, and a touch of smoke. Medium-plus body. On the palate, flavors of mountain berries, black currant, and plummy fruits are complemented by roasted herbs, vanilla bean, grilling spices, and other notes of oak. The tannins are quite astringent but complemented nicely by a plus level of acidity (perfect for food)...in fact, those who prefer a red with smooth, round tannins should stay away from this for at least 3-5 years as this one requires time to mellow out.
Still, this is an outstanding example of a Bordeaux-style blend from Argentina and a great deal for less than $25.
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6/23/2009 - glg wrote:
DO NOT OPEN THIS WINE FOR SEVERAL YEARS! I have had a few Quimera and find them rather tight. This is a structured wine that needs many more years of bottle age. It was not so much the tannis - though they were present - but the components of the wine have not integrated in to seamless beauty I believe this will become. I think WS has drinking window in the short term. and WA in the longer term. My vote goes to the WA (and Jay Miller).
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6/16/2009 - Spencer wrote: 90 Points
I made a mistake in opening this wine - it clearly needs to sleep for another four to five years. At first it was dominated by nutty oak and hard tannins. It slowly opened with aeration, but did not really begin to show itself until the following night. By then, the oak had integrated and the tannins, which were definitely still present, were more in balance. This wine has a ton of stuffing and a lot going on, but it needs some time to resolve itself.
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6/4/2009 - Renegade wrote: 95 Points
This is an absolute steal for the money. This wine has a dark purple color and more of a heavy bodied wine with a pleasing alcohol level of 13.5%. The wine has a complex nose of red berries, blueberries, chocolate, spices and other aromas I am not able to identify. It tastes of blue berries, black cherry, cassis, vanilla and spices, it has a long lingering after taste of what seems like black cherry and coffee. While it is drinking good now, I think this wine is a few years away from hitting its peak. It will easily go 10 to 12+ years from vintage date, and possibly longer. For the price, I am seriously thinking of buying at least a case of this maybe two cases. If you want to have some fun, do a blind tasting and have this one as one of them!!
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6/1/2009 - bon vivant wrote:
Dr Jay sais 40 % less wood this year and I think that there is nothing wrong with that. Smooth deep and structured. Gets better with several hrs of air. Great QPR Solid.
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5/31/2009 - Fritts wrote: 93 Points
Blind tasting group liked this off the bat but favored a competing tempranillo. However, after decanted for 2 hours it came out in front as it opened up. One guessed cab,
(28% after malbec), but moderate malbec contribution is notable with round fruit, licorice nose and rising acidity (from the cab franc?). This was a bargain for the level of enjoyment, and I recommend decanting an hour or so.
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5/20/2009 - Rich S wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for 1.5 hours. Dark purple color. Loaded nose of dark fruits (blueberry, plums, black currant), along with some clove and similar baking spice notes. Similar flavors on the palate with a touch of oak and berry reduction sauce flavors. The wine drinks incredibly smooth on the palate and is the fruit is lush and the tannins are soft. The high proportion of malbec and merlot in this wine probably account for that. Pleasant finish although not too long. Very nice wine.
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5/17/2009 - Lou Ferreira wrote: 94 Points
After a hugely disappointing experience with a low level 03 BDX yesterday this wine was a home run. Decanted for 2 hours and served at cellar temp. Gorgeous purple color with a lovely perfume of violets, milk chocolate and wild cherries. Great density and purity of fruit. Raspberry, chocolate and wild flowers dominate the palate and the finish is quite long. I actually liked this quite a bit more than the 100% Malbec Finca Altamira that sells for double. A truly wonderful btl of wine that sells for a song. Buy it by the case !!!
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4/27/2009 - John McCabe wrote: 88 Points
Quite disappointed with this. Not much complexity here in my opinion - a bit uninvolving.
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4/16/2009 - amgryger wrote:
Ripe black cherry and cassis on the nose. Similar notes of the palate. Medium tannin, acid, and finish.
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4/13/2009 - marcellevi wrote: 93 Points
Decanted about 45 min, which undoubtedly makes a bit difference for this wine. The nose is rich with cherry, fig and chocolate. Beautiful deep violet color so common in Argentine malbecs. Superb in the mouth with big, round fruit and fine tannin structure. It should cellar quite well over the next 2-3 years.
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4/3/2009 - kevfau01 wrote: 95 Points
I thought this bottle was quite nice right when opened, but really peaked after an hour or so after opening. Very smooth, pleasant wine.
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3/9/2009 - J-Sho wrote: 92 Points
A very pleasurable wine with red fruit and floral notes on the nose. Very soft without any hard or bracing aromas. Very smooth and sleek. Not huge on the palate but nice complexity and palate weight. Moderate finish with integrated tannins.
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2/18/2009 - jfkwines wrote:
(From the Grapefield's tasting) Very open, nice fruit light tannins. Could be cellared
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12/28/2008 - Oenoduck wrote: 94 Points
I have loved the Quimera for the past two vintages. I'm a huge fan of Achaval Ferrer, whose quality is tremendous. This vintage is comprised of 37% Malbec, 28% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Nice Paulliac-like color: dark purple, black toward the center (5 points). Soil, vanilla, mesquite, flan, and cherry preserves on the nose, which was complex and continued to evolve during the evening (8.5 points). On the palate, the Quimera presented citrus, leather, black raspberries, and charred beef. Prominent acidity attacked the mid-palate, with a medium to full body (14 points). The finish was long and smooth, with dry tannins coating the tongue (8 points). Overall, a great mid-priced fine wine ($32.00 at K&L). Although distinctly New World, Achaval Ferrer consistently strives for Old World complexity and restraint (8.5 points). Highly recommended.
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12/8/2008 - NavyGrog wrote: 90 Points
Always a treat. Smooth and dull body blend. Decanted for and hour. Deep purple, full of exotic essences.
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12/3/2008 - kietkopelli wrote: 93 Points
This wine MUST BE DECANTED! I almost gave this wine a 83 point rating base on the pop-n-pour experience but after a few hours in the decanter it turns out to be an absolute gem. On the nose it is rich with berries, sour cherries, currant, milk chocolate, and herbs. In the mouth it explodes with cherries and mocha with a wonderful spring bouquet of flowers and herbs; I pick hints of Thyme which I can't remember ever having in a wine. The tannins are so delicate. Finishes wonderfully floral but too bad it doesn't stretch for as long as I would like. An absolute clear winner even in the $50 range. Given the sub $30 price tag I will be ordering by the 6-pack.
Remember, you don't drink the label.
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10/12/2008 - JuanDomingo wrote: 95 Points
This is a very premium wine from argenina. On the nose is dirty with a very interesting trip to licors. currants, clackcurrants ans some flowers. is a medium body kind very intereting and the tannins are not agressive. Has a 40 sec finish with a retrotaste of jelly plum. Maybe is still very young ill try this wine on the next five years get a lot more. Super, Super, Super.
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9/22/2008 - pkbackman wrote: 84 Points
Too acidic and slightly bitter. Some fruit trying to get out, but it barely made it. Hope the 2nd bottle is better. It's good, but I'm disappointed
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8/27/2008 - Vintage_Maximus wrote:
Excellent Wine for the money. Very smooth tannins
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8/10/2008 - Stephan O wrote: 91 Points
Fabulous buy. Brackish and dirty on the nose at first, giving way to a very nice range of licorice and currants and raspberries and flowers and forest. The mid-palate is structured, with mouth-coating (but not biting) tannins. And the finish is decent for the price. Intriguing stuff.
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6/17/2008 - silton wrote: 89 Points
Decanted an hour plus, with quite a bit of sediment. This is an enjoyable food-friendly blend but the fruit concentration was a little disappointing; showed on the acidic side, but I didn't find the tannins to be obtrusive. On a fast evolutionary track -- this was more approachable now than the 03 was last winter, but still could use some time to integrate.
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6/14/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote: 89 Points
When looking for really good wine from Argentina, you needn't look any further then Achaval Ferrer. Quimera is a great blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc and is decently priced at around $30-35. The color is dark inky violet red and the nose shows lots of blueberry and some black licorice with a bit of alcohol showing through as well. Flavors are very primary and somewhat closed up at this young age and the tannins are quite firm. Obviously way to young to really show it's stuffing at this point but given enough time to unravel itself it should be pretty good. I would rate at 89+ and it definitely has the potential for a higher score if everything comes together down the road.
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6/8/2008 - jamon7 wrote: 95 Points
A premium argentinean wine! Floral aromas start to emerge as soon as the bottle is open, and at first nose it has light tones of dry berries. At tasting, you can savour balanced tanins, ripped cherries. It has a prolonged finish, with more than 15 secs in the palate. Although the wine was excelent, it will be far better in at least 10 or 12 years.
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5/25/2008 - Coupe 60 wrote:
Tasted at the end of a heavy night of wine drinking. good tasting bottle. With good balance....Palate probably was too shot to give this a rating...
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5/4/2008 - BarneyBuzz wrote: 89 Points
Dark Inky Red Color, black current on the alcoholic nose, dark cherries, licorice, cola and fruity nose. medium bodied,smooth tannins, licorice,black currants, 1 hr decant, short to med finish,lacking complexity. I thought the wine was a disappointment from the 92 points RP gave.
Its did not wow me like a 92 points.
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4/18/2008 - winenutnyc wrote:
saturated purple throughout. Nose of caramel and currants. Fat, alcoholic and slippery on the palate. no structure whatsoever. awful.
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4/17/2008 - Siggy wrote: 88 Points
Winestreet Does Chile & Argentina (Kozlak's, North Oaks, MN): Great nose. Soft, plummy, jammy dark fruit. Plenty of oak that still needs time to integrate.
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4/11/2008 - tskrueger wrote: 91 Points
No formal notes, but this was really good. Needed quite a bit of time to open up, but showed beautiful dark fruit and mineral...Was great with the grilled flank steak.
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4/6/2008 - JGarofalo3 wrote: 88 Points
Nicely made wine that paired well with grilled sirloin, shitake mushrooms and zucchini. Definitey not going to get any better, if you have this vintage pop and pour! After a double decant to rid a small amount of sediment and open it up, this was an easy drink and went well with the food and by itself.
Not too knowledgable on S.A. wines but know this producer is pretty consistent. I think this represents good QPR but could be mistaken.
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3/22/2008 - greenwalter wrote: 91 Points
Intense fruit but not a bomb. Licorice and spice with plum and cherry. And all around enjoyable experience. It works with food, but a nice cocktail wine also.
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3/16/2008 - Zinny wrote: 92 Points
We purchased a bottle to taste and see if we want to buy some to cellar. Yes, we do!! In my opinion, this wine is approachable now - but I look forward to watching it evolve over time. Dark fruit, red fruit and cedar dominate a very intruiging nose that hints at everything from vanilla to blueberry pie to cinnamon - all over a base of mineral, barnyard and chocolate.
This would be great with roasted pork loin.
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1/31/2008 - NavyGrog wrote: 88 Points
Drank with Melina and Bob. A little light. Needs more time. Interesting mix of flavors with the Malbec added to the Bordeaux Blend.
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1/24/2008 - BradA wrote: 90 Points
A gift from a buddy of mine: he got a bottle of Single Cask Jack D prior to the offer of the wine.
I opened this and drank it over three nights. Good balance, plenty of fruit and a load of stuffing. Frankly, I have been more impressed with some south american wines than those from the north! This had similar intensity and spunk that the Almaviva showed some time back (perhaps our next wine group should be South of the Border specials!). I felt that the ripeness was quite interesting as I have had little experience with growing/climatic infuence in the area. I will leave a drinking window to others--but urge you to try some wines from the region.
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1/4/2008 - EMichels wrote: 87 Points
Hi-Time Tasting Bar: Alcohol nose; Good depth; Good follow-through; A bit green in the middle
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11/18/2007 - RATER wrote: 92 Points
We tasted three different wines for my birthday and WOW, what a bottle of wine this is. Even those at home who din't know much about wine, were able to rate this one "exceptional".
Deep ruby/violet vibrant color with elegant scents of cocoa, leather, earth and toasty oak; on the palate, sublime taste of everything priviously smelled, but in a perfect balance, not much of or missing anything; a finish that satisfy your palate and enchant your senses for 30-40 seconds that seem out of this world. Best wine I ever tasted, I would definitely continue to buy Quimera!
One other great attribute about this wine is its affordable price (at least at winelibrary.com).
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11/11/2007 - SoCal wrote: 88 Points
Very purple color. Nose of Raspberries, Grape Cool Aid and buttery Oak. The attack was a dose of cranberries followed by raspberries. The mid palate was sweet grape soda that transitioned into tannic and tangy tannins. A young wine to be sure. Needs time to come together. A well made but the flavors are not my cup of tea.
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7/28/2007 - tcfishler wrote: 89 Points
Inky purple. Closed; just a bit of mineral and tobacco, with subtle sweaty undertones. Nicely extracted, with great structure courtesy of contributions from both acidity and tannin. Mouthwatering finish. Well made but extremely young.
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11/3/2005 - claudio_bxl wrote:
Mini OL of the board in Mendoza, Argentina; 11/3/2005-11/4/2005 (Mendoza, Argentina): This wine shows good depth of color with an open nose of prunes, cherries and some mineral elements and a round attack, good structure and mid palate and great lenght with a good level of complexity. A great quimera, I was quite amazed at how approachable it was having tasted it directly from the Barrel
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