Alamos
Crios
Nicholas Catena
Terrasas
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Susanna Balbos 2001 Crios Syrah-Bonarda blend is a unique blend of one trendy
grape and one slightly obscure grape giving us a power-house of a red wine. My colleage,
immediately pointed out to our crew that the wine has flavors of dried meats. Bacon, smoke,
black cherries, and spice fill your mouth. Later, I served this wine with a spicy Italian
pasta dish with grand raves from my guests.
Retail price $15. Tasted April 22, 2003. We give this wine two 
Susanna Balbos 2001 Crios Cabernet Sauvignon is a well made cabernet with
chewy tannins and soft flavors. The finish has a sultry chocolate feel and a flash of
mint.
The structure of this wine builds in your mouth with hints of white pepper as the fruit takes hold.
The cassis and black cherry are intense and minerally.
Susanna Balbos is one of Chile's most up-and-coming winemakers. She rubs elbows with Nicholas Catena
and is married to Ben Marcos. Her talent shines through in these wines.
Retail price $15. Tasted April 22, 2003. This wine drinks well with one  .
Susanna Balbos 2001 Crios Torrontes had a nose like a
gewerztraminer with it's spicy notes of cardomom and clove and the sweet scent of honey.
The palate was ripe with peaches, liches, honeysuckle, and minerals. It had a pleasant,
crisp, mineral finish. I found the wine to rich, floral, and elegant.
Let's here it for Sussana Balbos for bringing us another
unusual varietal in a very elegant style.
Retail price $14. Tasted July 22, 2003. We rate this wine two
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Alamos 2000 Malbec
This is a cab-drinker's malbec. This wine is big and rich with black cherries, currents,
chocolate, and velvety mouth-feel tannins.
The color is strikingly violet with a slightly smokey finish.
The structured and acidity accents the big fruit rounding out this wine in an impressive way.
If you're a cab-drinker who's looking to try out something new, this is a great wine.
Retail price $10. Tasted March 28, 2003. We give this wine two .
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Nicholas Catena 2001 Malbec
is an example of how good Medoza fruit can be. This is very smooth bottle of wine.
The color is dark and the fruit is jammy and ripe, with slight black fruit, coffee,
and toated nut flavors softly intermingling.
The tannins are very soft and would pair well with tomato based
pasta dishes and less spicy beef dishes.
Retail price $22. Tasted March 22, 2003. We give this wine two .
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Terrasas 1999 Reserva Malbec
is extremely jammy and big.
Malbec has never shined like it does in Argentina and this bottle is a perfect example of how
big and fruity a malbec can be.
The vanilla and toasted nut flavors partner with super ripe cherry, blackberry, and cassis.
This wine has the "old vine" depth and New World fruit.
Retail price $18. Tasted March 3, 2003. Jammy and toasty one .
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