Cultured Solutions

Archives: January 2021

Santa Rita ‘secret reserve’ Cabernet sauvignon, Valle Maipo, 2019

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The wine was a deep ruby colour with inky legs and had a bit of sediment.

The nose started out with an intense pyrazine aroma which was reminiscent of a pungent green bell pepper (some even perceived this as a cat pee smell), but this seemed to dissipate over the course of the tasting. Other aromas included cherry and oak wood. Some perceived a note of petrol.

The pallate was dry with medium-low acidity, abundant and slightly corse-textured tannin and medium alcohol. The wine was medium-full bodied. Flavours included cherry candy, Strawberry jam and a touch of wood. Medium length.

2019 Santa Rita, ‘secret reserve’ Cabernet sauvignon, Maipo

Overall, the wine was acceptable for quality and slightly faulted owing to the green pepper note. Revisiting this wine the next day showed marked improvement as the bell pepper aromas had fully dissipated and were more reminiscent of a roasted red pepper. There was a blackberry jam and vanilla sugar note combined with a flavour of back fruits and a pleasant black currant finish that was longer lived.

The wine represents good value considering the on-sale price of $12.95.

But one has to be has to be patient and decant the bottle, entirely, for a few hours or pour off a glass and leave the remainder of the bottle to rest and breathe for enjoyment the next day.

Montecillo Reserva, Rioja, 2013

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Medium-deep purple-ruby colour. Notes of stewed fruit, black cherry, toasty oak, with meaty-leathery undertones. The palate mouthfeel is dry, medium acidity and tannin of a velvety feel. The alcohol is well-balanced and the wine has a medium weight. Flavours of currant, sour cherry and toastiness come through. Medium length.

Overall, this is a good quality wine and very good if you consider the on-sale price of $14.95. The wine improves if enjoying on the second day, where the black currant note os accentuated and a pleasant bit delicate lilac bud emerges.

2013 Bodegas Montecillo, Reserva