It Starts With A Grape

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Though not labeled Bordeaux, this is a Bordeaux style blend out of France composed of %60 Cabernet Sauvignon and %40 Merlot. It also happens to be made with organically grown grapes, and if I do say so myself, this is a shining example of what organic wine should be. If I were to blindly taste this wine there would not be the slightest of chances that I would guess it was organic. That being said, lets delve on into this beauty… Its deep ruby hue is so dark its borderline opaque, and its legs clung to the side of my glass like half-set jello. The nose on this scrumptious blend presented blueberry pie, warm vanilla creme brulee, and toasted almonds, it smelled so delicious my mouth was nearly watering. The first sip was bursting with fresh juicy blueberries and ripe red raspberries. As the upfront fruit dissipated it left behind a most pleasant toasty oak, which made it presence known but wasn’t overbearing.  In addition to the warm oak brought to my taste buds on a wave of wonderfully soft tannins, its finish possessed just a touch of molasses. This is one meticulously balanced red, with no need to aerate before enjoying. I paired it with bourbon glazed salmon fillet, and a side of garlic and butter sauteed green beans, which is a super easy, quick, and tasty meal by the way. Just let the salmon sit in a bourbon marinade for about a half hour, preheat your oven to 350 and stick it in, skin down on a well greased pan. Give it roughly 10 min for every inch thick your salmon is. As for the green beans, mince some garlic, chop your green beans and sautee them in butter till tender. Anyways, the fat in the salmon coats your palate and allows a wonderfully spicy side of this wine to emerge, filled with freshly cracked black pepper.

Packing more of a punch than one would normally expect from a Frenchy, is this delightfully full flavored Cabernet. It opens with quite earthy aromas, nuances of freshly sliced green peppers, while maintaining enough fruit to achieve a nice balance. There’s plenty of diversity on the palate, and the longer you drink it the more the layers will unfold, initially revealing ripe cherries and smokey oak, moving on to blackberries and hints of strawberry, and finishing with ample oak and cassis. Its medium to heavy in body, and would lend itself excelently to smoked chicken with a side of grilled asparagus.

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A little fun fact about Chile for you:

Chile remains as one of the only regions in the world unaffected by pyhlloxera, which is a disease that forced grape growers around the world to graft vines onto genetic rootstock which could resist the disease. Not to say that grafted vines produce lower quality wine, its just neat to think about how those vines have been growing un-tutched and un-altered for hundreds of years….

That being said…on to Root:1. Because this is a relatively young cab, i was surprised to find a nose of deep fig and brown sugar, complimented with a super smooth oak, usually reserved for older wines, and a dense ruby garnet color. The first sip glides over your tongue, delivering luscious black cherries, and ultra dark cocoa to your taste buds. Its got a super juicy finish, with hints of tobacco. A perfect pair for roasted black pepper chicken in a cherry glaze, with a side of sauteed red potatoes, and would have no problem standing up to almost any sharp cheese. link

A little back story:

Translated, Casillero Del Diablo, means Cellar of the Devil. When this winery, Conha y Toro, was first founded, the owner had a special reserve of wine he kept just for himself. He was having problems keeping people away from his ‘private cellar’, so he posted on it Casillero del Diablo, and it worked. If it had not, you may not be able to enjoy this most delicious wine today.

This Chilean Cabernet opens with a bouquet of blackberry jam, and cassis, on a blanket of toasty oak, accompanied by nuances of fresh cracked black pepper. This is a heavy duty red, full bodied and flavorful. With a deep garnet color, It boasts jammy fruit, tart cherry, and tobacco. It has a most pleasant earthy quality about it, plenty of that toasty oak carrying over to the palate, with a bone dry and quite lengthy cherry finish. Drink it alone if you dare….If not, it will match up with something as simple as burgers off the grill, or beef kabobs with green peppers and mushrooms.