Yesterday was a little bit of a let down with the basic Los Vascos Cab.  This property is a well respected Rothschild winery in Chile.  As such, I opted to go back and try their Grand Reserve offering, in hopes of a better showing that suits my particular taste desires, and has higher technical components than the basic wine.

First thing I noticed was today’s Reserve wine has a real cork, versus synthetic.  A good start.  The wine is not overly dark, but a pleasant purple in the glass.  On the nose- a whole different story.  Black berries, rich mocha, fig on the nose.  The palate is more plum-like but the black fruits are still evident.  There’s a slightly obscure, astringent quality that hits right up front.  Once over that I’m settling in to the gentle mouthfeel, moderate tannins and tangy acidity.  The mid and finish are a little darker with coffee bean, black cherry and an oak tinge.  Overall, much better.  89 points and 4 stars for this $15 effort.  Grilled meat, Moussaka or even hearty pasta would pair nicely.  Drink now till 2020.  Salut….

Medium purple with a bluish hue.  Dammit, that sugary, oaky nose that I really dislike just hit me.  Red sweets, twizzlers and cotton candy.  On the palate- pretty much the same but with some decent acidity to brighten things up.  Very lithe tannins are barely perceptible. This wine is the quintessential bbq drop.  Easy to quaff, bright fruit, pleasant enough and capable of pairing with smoked or charred meats and sweet/tangy sauces.  It’s not my cup of tea but should appeal to many.  Drink this 86 point wine in the near term.  $8 all day long make this a 2 star wine.  Salut….

Dark purple.  Nice nose of dark currant, mint and oak slivers.  On the palate it is a pleasing wine with freshness, good dry tannins and flavors of Ribena, plum, bitter chocolate as well as a meaty note.  The tannins really kick in on the mid palate and the finish.  The wine is full bodied, full flavored and not shy about its structure.  It is somewhat tilted toward the tannic end with hardly discernible acidity at this time.  I think this wine needs some cellaring for a year or two to mellow out just a touch.  I’m going to be pessimistic and go with 90 points but I think it may improve.  If you must drink it now pair with Lamb Shanks and Couscous or maybe a seasoned T-bone on the charcoal.  I paid $12.80 each for two bottles on sale.  Regularly $21. 4 stars.  Salut….