It’s no secret to regular readers here that I’m a fan of the good value wines that come out of Chile. I’ve reviewed a bunch of Chilean wines over the years. And I’ll probably review a bunch more in the coming years.
One varietal from Chile that has been hit and miss for me is cabernet sauvignon. Sometimes it’s awesome, but sometimes it has too much menthol that makes it seem out of balance. This one, from Casillero del Diablo, is good and I didn’t find any menthol aromatics in it, but those may have been hidden behind the abundant spices.
The nose of this wine makes me think of a blackberry cobbler made with healthy dose of cinnamon and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. There’s plenty of fruit and loads of spice. The palate also features loads of juicy, ripe fruit, such as blackberry, black cherry and black currant. And the spiciness comes through in the flavors too. It finishes medium-long, with berry and chocolate flavors.
It’s a big, juicy wine and the spices are heavy (perhaps too heavy, leaving it slightly out of balance). It’s not what I would call elegant, but it’s tasty and a good value.
Wine: Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon
Variety: Cabernet sauvignon
Vintage: 2011
Alcohol: 13.5%
Rating: 85
Price: $12.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.
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