Very few winegrowing regions around the world can compete with the Southern Cone in terms of value for money. The wines are consistently attractive and flavorful and sell for remarkably low prices in the US. In this article, we review several recently released wines from the 2021-24 vintages. They all sell for under $25/bottle and compete favorably with Northern Hemisphere wines costing almost double that amount.
The Wines
PAIS
Gillmore 2022 Mariposa País Locomilla Maule Valley ($16) 90 Light red in color, this fruit driven wine made from the historical País grape the Spanish sacerdotes brought with them to the New World is easy drinking with good freshness and gentle tannins. It presents a wild herb inflected, red berry nose and a softly textured, fruity palate. 13% alc.
PINOT NOIR
Aniello 2024 Pinot Noir Riverside Estate Patagonia Alto Valle del Río Negro ($19) 91 An amazing Pinot Noir for the price, this Patagonia sourced, youthful wine opens with dark cherry and underbrush notes and proceeds to a nicely balanced, medium bodied, bistro style palate. Fermented whole cluster in concrete vats using native yeast. 50% matured in used oak barriques and 50% in concrete for 6 months. 13% alc.
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Funckenhausen 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza ($16) 90 Dark ruby. The perfect wine for grilled sausages or pasta bolognese. The nose is dark fruited with notes of tobacco and tomato leaf. It’s full in the mouth with medium concentration and fresh flavors. 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot. 13.7% alc.
Maquis 2022 Revela Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua Valley ($23) 90 Semi-opaque in color, this is a good entry level Cabernet Sauvignon with cassis and blackberry aromas and flavors along with a light resinous note. A straightforward wine that pairs very nicely with a juicy hamburger. 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Carménère, 3% Petit Verdot. 14% alc.
MALBEC
Funckenhausen 2023 Malbec Blend Mendoza ($16) 90 Dark ruby. This Malbec based blend is fruity, showing red plum, boysenberry and notes of wild herbs on the nose. The palate is easy drinking with upfront fruit and a light mid-palate, finishing with gentle tannins. 75% Malbec, 10% Bonarda, and 15% Syrah. 13.9% alc.
Ricardo Santos 2021 El Malbec de Finca La Madrasnic Mendoza ($22) 92 Dark dark ruby. With its dark fruited nose of rosemary-tinted, blackberry this Malbec is smooth on the attack with notes of dark loam and tobacco complementing the fruit. The tannins are grippy, and the finish is long nd rich. The perfect wine for an Argentine parrillada. 13.9% alc.
MISC REDS
Maquis 2022 Revela Cabernet Franc Colchagua Valley ($23) 91 The Revela Cabernet Franc is Loire Valley like with its bouquet of spicy, cracked black pepper, dark red fresh and dried plum, and herbal/wet leaves. There’s nice depth and complexity along with firm acidity and round tannins and long, extracted finish. 86% Cabernet Franc, 6% Carménère, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Petit Verdot. 14% alc.
Maquis 2022 Revela Carménère Colchagua Valley ($23) 92 The Revela Carménère is a lovely wine in all respects from the savory, lavender-accented, dark berry and plum nose to its silky attack and medium weight, flavorful palate and long, clean finish. Excellent value! 90% Carmenere, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Petit Verdot. 14% alc.
Note: The US importer of these wines is Global Vineyards. Photo credit of flags: Wikipedia.
Source : https://i-winereview.com/blog/index.php/2024/11/05/extreme-value-wines-from-the-southern-cone/
