After a week off, I am back and better than ever. This weeks wine is an old one but great one. The world of wine has gotten so big that we often over look some old favs. Now don't get me wrong, I love trying new wines from new places just as much as the next person. But there is something about that oldie that reminds you why you got into the wine world after all. For me it was Cousino~Macul Antiguas Reservas Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley Chile.
Cousino~Macul now in its 7th generation of family winemaking, is no dumby to making top notch Cabernet. Located in the Macul district of Santiago, the Cousino family's sole purpose is to produce the ultimate Chilean wine. In the late 1800's, Luis Cousino traveled to Bordeaux with his wife in an effort to study the world's best winemaking techniques. When the couple returned, they not only brought with them some of Bordeaux's best Cabernet plantings, but several of the regions top experts. These old Bordeaux plantings are throughout the estate in the Macul and Buin properties. These centuries-old vines yield powerful wines rich in concentration and serious in structure.
The Antiguas Reservas 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon has been crafted from estate vineyards with the philosophy of blending Old World elegance with New World style and flavor. Since this wines debut in 1927, it has been well-structured with rich flavor and finesse. These wines have a classic framework that will age gracefully. Elegant, approachable and sustainably farmed, Antiguas Reservas is widely viewed as the benchmark for Chilean Cabernet.
As much as the rich tradition, location, and commitment to quality from the family is attributed, we must also tip our hat to Winemaker Pascal Marty. He has held several esteemed positions at renowned wineries around the world(Baron Philippe de Rothschild, d'Armialhas & Clerc Milon to name a few). The last project that he over saw was the joint collaboration in Chile between Rothschild & Mondavi by producing a wine called Almaviva. Since Marty joined Cousino~Macul in 2003 his track record for the Antiguas Reservas Cabernet speaks for itself. 4 straight vintages of 90+ from Robert Parker. The current vintage is awesome and for under $20 bucks it's hard to beat....
"This Antiguas Reservas vintage shows an intense red color with hints of violet and burgundy. It has an expressive nose, with aromas of red berries and black cherries. In mouth, it is nice and fruity, with notes of ripe plum. Its rich acidity and soft tannins makes it a well structured and elegant wine." Pascal Marty
It is an ideal wine to accompany red meats like steak with mushrooms, stewed lamb, doves, partridges and kidneys in sherry.
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