Best Buy: Santa Rita 120 Cabernet, 2006

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FincaPerlitas

Senior Cook
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Messages
285
Location
San Jose, Costa Rica, Central America
I found this wine on sale in my local supermarket for $6 a bottle, with a tag noting that it had received an 89 rating from W&S. Well, I don't always agree with the reviews but you seldom find wines with this high a rating in this price range so I had to give it a try.

This time I agree. Beautiful deep ruby red color, nice aroma, complex fruity flavor with nice overtones of cassis, blackberry and current. Slightly bitter finish - but not a serious flaw.

Overall, I really like this wine. It's an honest, full-bodied cabernet and should be opened and allowed to breath for at least a half hour. Although ready to drink now, I also suspect that this wine would hold up to and benefit from another year or two of aging.

I paired it with a pasta dish with grilled chicken, spinach and a parmesan cream sauce. It was a good pairing, but this wine would go best with beef or pork. Not a wine for wimps - my wife, who prefers lighter reds (merlots and carmerieres) didn't especially like it.
 
On June 15, 2008, Senior Editor James Molesworth of Wine Spectator gave this wine 84 points and said this about it: "Light and fresh, with modestly juicy raspberry, cherry and vanilla notes. Open-knit finish. Drink now. 380,000 cases made." Release price was $9.

There are a lot of tremendous bargains in wine these days, and things will probably get better as the economy gets worse.
 
Different tasters will obviously have different opinions and ratings, particularly with less expensive wines. I won't take issue with the 84 rating from WS. However, I completely disagree with the tasting notes. I definitely wouldn't characterize this wine as "light and fresh".

Here are the tasting notes from the Wine & Spirits review: Santa Rita 2006 120 Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile, South America - "Surprisingly powerful and rich in fruit for its price, this offers black currant and cassis over youthfully rustic tannins. Give it some pork." -Wines & Spirits Value Picks. Rating: 89
 

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