2011 Cobos Bramare VD Cabernet Marchiori Vineyard Mendoza

Bright medium ruby. Superripe aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, mocha, coffee, truffle and chocolate liqueur. Sweet and chewy on the palate, with a roasted quality to the currant, mocha and milk chocolate flavors. A bit less salty than the 2010 version of this bottling but I still wanted more primary fruit. Finishes with building tannins that turn slightly dry with air.

The soils in this part of the vineyard are slightly rockier and well suited to Cabernet, according to Andrea Marchiori. Dense and oaky, with structured tannins, big bold flavours, good texture and body and a sweet plum and blackcurrant core. Just a little too ripe for me. Drink: 2014-19.

A brilliant vintage in Mendoza according to Paul, this comes from 17-year-old vineyards, planted with two Cabernet clones and sited at over 1000 metres. This is the stony vineyard ground of Pedregal. It has deliciously buoyant fruit. A lovely lift of spice and plenty of keen black fruit, dark and blackcurranty with lots of edge and peppery spice. Lots of grip, lots of tannin and tightly focused too, with a huge, long finish showing copious black fruit and spices. So many layers of fruit, spice, texture and grip.

Chunky black-fruit aromas are ripe but familiar, meaning the nose is pumped full of richness and oak. Racy acidity on the palate gives this modern Cab spine, while in the mouthfeel stays on the fast track due to zesty acidity. Flavors of cassis and blackberry register as fresh and ripe, and the finish is crisp and not the least bit flabby. Drink through 2016.

A ripe, modern expression of Cabernet, displaying cassis, macerated cherry and roasted plum notes, tightly wound with silky tannins and forward layers of nutmeg, licorice and smoke. Drink now through 2019. 300 cases imported. -NW