2009 Trader Joe’s Vinas Chilenas Cabernet Sauvignon $4

I think I’m getting addicted to these Trader Joe’s cheapie wines, every couple of weeks I have to try another one. I can’t pass up a new wine on display by the entrance door. The cheap wines are not always to my liking, but at 5 bucks and under, I can’t get to worked up about so-so wine. The good thing about Vinas Chilenas  is that cheap wine from Chile tends to be better quality than cheap wine from just about any other place, so Vinas Chilenas may bring more to the table than Trader Joe’s Charles Shaw wines can. This Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the Central Valley in Chile. Like most other Trader Joe’s exclusive wines there is almost no other information available. Alcohol content is 13.5%

The color is crystal clear dark plum red. The nose is on the simple side, some red fruit, a little chocolate and a grassy aroma. Some strawberry, a little plum, dark chocolate and then a slight bite in the back of your mouth from the tannins. The finish is dark chocolate and berry and disappears in a hurry.

A very drinkable Cabernet, not exciting by any means, but far better than it needs to be for the price. The Vinas Chilenas Cabernet Sauvignon would do just fine with pizza and burgers and a bottle of this stuff will cost you less than either the burger or the pizza.

2009 Urban Uco Malbec

100% Estate grown Malbec from the  Uco Valley in the Mendoza Region of Argentina. The wine is aged three months in French oak barrels. Argentina is known for it’s Torrontes white wine and Malbec red wine. Malbec is a French grape mainly grow in the Cahors region of France, but Argentina has become very competitive in terms of quality and price. Alcohol content is 14.5%.

A dark opaque ruby red, in France Malbec is known as “the black wine” and the Urban Uco Malbec lives up to that name. The nose is not fruit based, it’s spicy and rich exotic spices, a flowering Magnolia tree, with the scent of a newly mowed lawn. Medium bodied, dark red fruit, at first, then blueberry followed by a touch of spice. Malbec’s used to be big hairy tannic wines, but the tannins here are soft and slightly sweet. A good, reasonably long berry finish.

A very balanced, well made wine.  Would be very versatile with food,  you could pair it with burgers or pizza, but it’s quality would also enhance upscale menus. I have seen the Urban Uco Malbec on several wine lists, it’s quality to price ratio would make it an excellent pick

2008 El Ganador Malbec $9

A Malbec from the Mendoza region of Argentina, Estate grown and bottled. 10% of the grapes are aged in French oak barrels, then mixed with the other 90% of the grapes that were aged in stainless steel vats. The wine gets a bit of that oak spice and vanilla, a bit of structure, but no real aging capabilities.

If your looking for a single varietal red wine in the $10 range, Syrah/Shiraz, Zinfandel and Malbec are your most reliable choices. Good Cabs and Pinots are out there, but few and far between.

Deep opaque ruby red in color. The nose is plums, black cherry, pepper and vanilla.  Smooth blackberries and blueberries surrounded by a halo of spice (almost curry like). The finish is non carbonated Dr. Pepper. The El Ganador has nice structure and soft tannins.

The El Ganador Malbec has the structure and the flavor to pair with steaks or chops.

2008 Astica Malbec – $8

Right now the hottest grape on the planet is Malbec. Every day someone emails us “Where can we find Malbec?”. The problem is – it’s very hard to find an inexpensive Malbec that stands out. Well – we found one for you, and it’s from Argentina.

Jammy and fruity up front. Deep dark red. It’s full-bodied yet velvety with a slight spicy finish.

2008 Mi Terruno Uvas Malbec

Mi Terruno means “My Terrior” or “My Land” in English. An Estate grown and bottled wine sourced from the Lujan district of Mendoza, Argentina. The grapes were hand picked and the wine sees no oak, the wine is aged for 5 months in stainless steel tanks. Alcohol content is 13%.

The color is see thru cranberry red. The nose is slightly musty dark fruit . The flavor is raspberries upfront, then black licorice, the tannins are well balanced. Not a fruit forward wine, the word “balanced” is the key here. The finish shows a touch of acidity and lasts a very long time.

An elegant wine, no oak so it’s not a wine for aging, but a wine that suggests that it sells for far more than it actually does.

2009 San Huberto Estate Torrontes

Torrontes is the wine of Argentina, it is their varietal. Very crisp, refreshing and food friendly, the San Huberto Estate Torrontes is grown in the Aminga Valley in the LaRioja Region of Mendoza in Argentina.

The color is pale yellow with green apple highlights. The nose is citrus, flower pedal and a little pineapple. A light crisp mouth feel, the acidity is evident. It tastes of lemon chiffon pie upfront then evolves into melon, not a sweet wine, this Torrontes leans toward the dry side.

Very much a food wine, crisp, clean tasting, good palate cleansing acidity, while still retaining a pleasing flavor.

2008 Antis Cabernet Sauvignon

Grown on the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains in the Maipe district of the Mendoza Region in Argentina. The wine sees six months in French oak.

The color is a beautiful burgundy red. The nose is bright young red fruit, strawberries and raspberries, vanilla and a touch of spice. Rich flavors, plums and blackberries,hints of milk chocolate, with a shot of spice with each swallow. Nice vanilla cola finish. A young wine, but reasonably complex. Not too much oak, tannins are well balanced.

A yummy well priced wine. Argentina is one of the first places to look for wonderful wine values.

2002 Finca Flichman Reserva Shiraz – $5

Finca means both vineyard and winery in Argentina, the Reserva designation indicates that this is estate grown and bottled. The Vineyard is located in the Barrancas region of Mendoza Province. Flichman is owned by a large wine conglomerate from Portugal and has been producing wines in Argentina since 1965. The Shiraz was stored in oak barrels for 6 months. this wine retailed for between $12 and $17 when first released, but now that it is toward the end of it’s shelf life, the price has come way down.

The color is deep dark opaque crimson red. The nose is smoke, violets, spice drops and red plums. The mouth feel is slightly watery, the oak and tannins are evident, but under the surface. The taste is muted dark fruit, the name says Shiraz, but this is not like an Australian wine. Not a fruit bomb, but blueberries, hints of tea, plums and stewed fruit. The finish is lengthy with bits of vanilla and cranberry juice. The Finca Flichman would stand up to a steak, but would also work for lighter food. You can really get a lot of wine for your money with South American wines.

2008 Maipe Malbec

Estate grown and bottled in Mendoza, Argentina, purchased for $7.99. The nose reminds me of a roadside fruit stand in the autumn during harvest, all fruit, flowers and green grass. The color is dark, rich and opaque. Alcohol content is a reasonable 13.7%. It tastes of dark fruit, plums and berries with a slight pull from the tannins in the back of your mouth. It thickly coats your mouth, this is no wimpy, watery wine. The finish is long and intense.

Did I say this wine sells for $7.99? A few years back, when I first tasted Argentinian wine they all had a “green stick” flavor that I wasn’t too fond of, but those days are long gone. This wine is not just good considering the cost, it is simply flat out good. This one’s going on Cheapwinefinder’s Top Ten Wines of 2009 list.

And you can get it here for < $10.