Wine Review - 2009 Bodega Privada Cabernet Sauvignon

This Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipu in Argentina is the first 'Bone Dry' wine we have had in a good long while.   It is a dark wine but is not inky dark for the dryness and body on the palate.

As an Argentinean Cab it has a lot of the characteristics we would expect like oak, dark fruit, and violets but there is a smell in there we could not quite pick out.  We thought is might be a stinky cheese like a provolone, but that did not quite capture it.  Then we thought it might be like some kind of gourmet salami but it was a fleeting smell.

When we tasted it, there was a LOT of tannins in there and the dryness kicked in right away.  That dryness almost sucks all the saliva out of your mouth.  The body is almost there, but there is not enough roundness to the wine.  It is dry and tannic with some acidity but the mouthfeel is very hollow beyond that.  So, it is dry and tastes good but for a Cab Sauv, we were hoping for a bit more balance.  If it had the balance, the price of $13 would be exceptional, but without it, it is just really good.

	Tasting Notes:	Score:
Sight (0-5)	Medium-Dark colour, Clear with Thickness in the glass	3.75
Smell (0-5)	Oak, Dark Fruit, Violets, and something kinda stinky (in a good way)	4.0
Taste (0-10)	Bone Dry, Tannic, Sour Cherry but struggles with balance	7.75
	Total:	15.5 / 20  (77.5%)

We think it would be reasonably good Steak wine like a Rib Eye with a little fat to absorb some of those tannins.  For the price it is a good food wine maybe a little dry to stand alone as a drinker.

Give it a try!

Keep on drinking!

Chris & Shannon