Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Carmen – Cabernet Sauvignon Delanz 2020
Alto Jahuel, Maipo Valley – Chile 🇨🇱

Overview
This Bordeaux-style blend from Carmen is composed of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, and 3% Petit Syrah. Sourced from Alto Jahuel — one of Maipo Valley’s most celebrated subzones — it reflects the region’s gravelly soils and cooling Andean breezes that echo Bordeaux’s Left Bank, while adding Chile’s hallmark ripeness.

Aromas & Flavors
Cassis, blackberry, and ripe cherry form the core, layered with graphite, cedar, and fresh tobacco leaf. Subtle violet, dried herbs, and cocoa powder add finesse and depth.

Mouthfeel
Firmly structured yet polished, with ripe tannins and vibrant acidity. Concentrated dark fruit balanced by savory undertones and a mineral edge, finishing long and persistent.

Food Pairings
Roast lamb, beef tenderloin, or venison highlight its structure, while mushroom risotto, charcuterie, or aged cheeses like Manchego accentuate its elegance.

Verdict
A finely crafted Bordeaux-style red that showcases Alto Jahuel’s pedigree. Elegant, complex, and cellar-worthy — Chile at its most refined, with a clear nod to the Old World. 🍷cheers! — 6 days ago

Matthew Doty

9.2

Lovely. Well developed and full flavors. 2014 vintage — 4 years ago

Aaron Forel

9.0

This is a truly magnificent Malbec. The right color, aroma and subtle fruity flavor. They have done it right and for a fair price too. I am out for more — 5 years ago

Emilie

9.0

Bold, full body but with good complexity. We had this with pasta and red sauce, but it would have been awesome with steak. Dark fruits, nice acidity, starting to get a little leather. — 5 years ago

with Kieran

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Alba de Domus – Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Upper Maipo Valley, Chile 🇨🇱

Overview
A bold and powerful Cabernet Sauvignon (95–100%, often with a tiny fraction of Cabernet Franc depending on the vintage) from the famed Domus Aurea estate in the Upper Maipo Valley. Known for its mountain terroir, this wine shows the classic strength and rustic elegance of Chile’s best Cabernets.

Aromas & Flavors
Deep, complex aromatics of blackberries, black cherries, cassis, and dried figs, laced with espresso, dark chocolate, cedar, and tobacco leaf. A subtle earthy and mineral undertone speaks to its Andean foothill origins.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and texturized, with high intensity and firm structure. Tannins are bold yet polished, while the 15.4% ABV provides warmth and weight without overwhelming balance. The finish is long, layered, and espresso-driven, lingering with dark fruits and spice.

Winemaking Notes
Unfiltered and aged in French oak, this Cabernet is designed for longevity. The 2019 vintage already shows power and depth, but its construction suggests it will evolve beautifully over the next 8–12 years.

Food Pairing
Ideal with robust dishes: grilled ribeye, lamb shank, venison, or earthy stews. Also pairs wonderfully with aged Manchego or Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Verdict
Hot, intense, and layered — a true statement Cabernet from the Maipo Valley. Already climbing its prime, yet with enough structure to age gracefully. For lovers of powerhouse reds with espresso and dark chocolate complexity. — a month ago

Ericsson

9.0

I’ve seen mixed reviews on this wine and must advise to properly aerate this bottle. Initially the nose is tight and the pallet a little too acidic. After about an hour though, the wine really opens up to scents of blackberry, raspberry, sweet tobacco and cocoa. On the pallet there is red plum, raspberry, blackberry, and vanilla with a medium plus body, medium alcohol, medium acidity. The wine is dry with a sharp dark chocolaty finish. Definitely not a pop and pour kind of wine despite its youth. If you have the time to spare the wine will pay dividends, both, in tasting experience and value.

PS This a high altitude wine; grapes grown at over a thousand meters above sea level in the Andean Slopes, and I’m tempted to correlate its initial tightness with it; however, there is no evidence to back it up my assumption. May be just a myth, but cheers to myths! — 4 years ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.1

Medium ruby color. Medium(+) intensity aromas of red fruit (plums and cherries and raspberries) black fruit (cassis, black currant and black plum) and secondary of oak (cedar, smoke) tertiaries with hints of leather and tobacco and there are some aromas of roasted red peppers. Medium(+) body medium(+) acidity, medium (+) ripe smooth tannins and high alcohol. The concentration of ripe fruit aromas and flavors seem to balance out the relatively high alcohol sensation and the acidity also helps to make the wine lively and not dense or dull. The wine has a nice fine-grained tannin giving it a slightly earthy texture. The wine seem capable of further bottle aging because it has a nice acidity and tannin that’s will guide it forward and the wine will continue to be interesting and could even be better from now until 5 years from now. Their is a clear varietal expression. It is purely #cabernetsauvignon as expressed by clear and defined aromas and flavors of cassis and cedar and hints of roasted peppers. It is made with historic Catena family’s Andean mountain vineyards 50% La Pirámide and 50% domingo Vineyard. #argentinewine #argentine #argentina #andes — 5 years ago

with Rosario

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Alma de Uco – Grand Assemblage 2023
Mendoza, Argentina 🇦🇷

Overview
A bold red blend from Mendoza’s Uco Valley, Alma de Uco’s Grand Assemblage reflects the high-altitude terroir of the Andes. Typically composed of Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon (exact percentages vary by vintage), this cuvée is crafted to showcase elegance, concentration, and mountain freshness in perfect balance.

Aromas & Flavors
Dark berry notes of blackberry and plum intertwined with black cherry, cassis, and hints of violet. Secondary layers bring cocoa powder, cedar, baking spices, and a touch of graphite.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied yet finely balanced. Polished tannins frame a concentrated core of ripe fruit, lifted by lively acidity from the cool Andean nights. The finish is long, structured, and elegant, with lingering spice and dark fruit.

Winemaking Notes
Sourced from select high-altitude vineyards (1,100–1,350m), where diurnal shifts enhance both ripeness and freshness. Aged in French oak barrels, adding subtle spice and roundness without overpowering the fruit.

Food Pairing
Ideal with Argentine classics like ribeye steak, short ribs, or lamb chops. Also pairs beautifully with roasted root vegetables, wild mushroom risotto, and aged hard cheeses.

Verdict
A stunning expression of Uco Valley blending — powerful yet refined, structured yet vibrant. Proof of how Mendoza continues to push boundaries in crafting world-class reds. — a month ago

John Bratincevic

9.0

Dark color. Nose: blackberry, coffee, earth, slight menthol, pine. Promising. Taste: horse, barnyard, less body than expected, blackberry. I like it! But, totally different taste than expected. 89-90.
EDIT: this is $10 at my local liquor store, I’d better try another bottle and see how consistent it is - might be the vest value I’ve found! — 4 years ago

Luis Arguero (@winefromAtoZ)

8.9

Alma Andina Malbec-Bonarda 2012: Pure fruit. Deep flavors. Blackberry. Raspberry. Spice. Consisting of 60% Malbec & 40% Bonarda, this red blend is a bright & beautiful representation of the local terroir and overall of Argentine wine! Cheers🍷🇦🇷 — 5 years ago