Casa Porta
Winemaker Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenère
2007
This Chilean wine is bright purplish-red and foams a little when it's swirled. Both signs indicate youth, so we didn't expect much sophistication. Boy, were we wrong. It offers a spicy, almost smoky nose, and delivers great structure on the palate, with just enough tannin to balance the abundant cherry, blackberry, and cassis fruit. The finish has a sweet little edge, lingering for a minute before the dark settles in.
Drinkable even without food, it's not very Cabernet-like, but who cares? We like it, and might lay a few down to try in a year, or two, or three.
Price: $17
Drinks like: $20
Bang for the buck: 118%
