Rightful cabernet franc reserve, dryness. And red raspberry aroma. Yes, cool climate sort. Could be taken for a Chinon. Good acid, fine tannin. Balance. 91+/100.

2018: Wine & Spirits 91: 'This wine's delicate plum and strawberry flavors last through the toast and vanilla of its oak, which enriches the wine but also smoothes over some of its detail. Give this six months to integrate, then serve it with roast beef.

Wine Enthusiast 90: 'A ruby color and spicy plum and berry aromas open this medium-bodied Tannat, with briny hints of ocean air and seashell chiming in. Lightly herbal flavors of plum and cassis are ever so slightly green, while this is smacking and intense on a juicy finish. $20.'

Wine & Spirits 92: 'German Bruzzone ferments this tannat in cement, then ages it in a mix of French oak barrels and casks, creating a clean, austerely tannic red that lightens up and feels coastal in the end. It's frisky with turmeric and green-peppercorn scents, lasting on meaty dark fruit. Structured and savory, this will age well over the next several years, or decant it now for a salad of duck confit. $20.'

Black and deep. Has padding though. Not severe. Yeah, there's tannin, but it's not the gritty sort. Sweet essence of tannat. Fine bottle. 91+/100.

2019: First time in MI in decades; est. 1909; latitude 39 degrees in Patagonia. That's a fresh, cool climate Patagonian cabernet. Wine of place. And no barrel obfuscation. There are some wood savors here in addition to pure berry-currant varietal character. Seasonings only. Good acidity. Fine tannin just adds to present mealworthiness. 91/100.

Well, this is certainly a dark hued customer. Sweet, strong, and stout hearted Argentine cabernet. Sweet and mouthfilling. Varietal aromatics still in formation. Satisfying textural presence already though. 90/100.

First time in MI in decades; est. 1909; latitude 39 degrees in Patagonia; James Suckling 92/100. Dark colored, dark fruited, full fledged Argentine malbec. Sports a high latitude coolness too. Nothing Mendoza syrupy about it. Bright and full varietal character of black cherry and black pepper. Fine acidity. Well balanced. Both mealworthy and ageworthy. Popular with the group. 91+/100.

Oenologist: Hans Vinding-Diers. At 4000'. Full red black malbec color. Good and ample, while compact, malbec fruit of high altitude definition. Sweet b lack fruits. Striking malbec cherry pith and peel. Really pumps it out. Great clarity as well. Aromas reverberate on the palate. Add black and maraschino cherry flavor spread. There's form and firm core as well as plenty of fruit padding in between. Sweet, balanced, strong, modern, popular. Good acid. Right on target. No tannin issues. Good to go. 91/100.

Parker 91: 'I found more freshness in the 2019 Q Cabernet Sauvignon than in the 2018 I also tasted next to it. This is produced with grapes from Gualtallary and La Consulta, combining structure from Gualtallary and juiciness from La Consulta. Cabernet behaves better in cooler years like this 2020, and the wine matured in a combination of 225? and? 500-liter oak barrels. It's medium to full-bodied and has the telltale fine tannins from the grape and a chalky finish.'

Wine & Spirits 93 - BEST BUY: 'The partnership between Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) and Catena, launched in 1999, produces this 'second' wine with a higher proportion of malbec and less time in oak barrels than the flagship wine (also recommended here). In 2017, Amancaya is the more elegant of the two. The blend includes 33 percent cabernet sauvignon and spends a year in barrels (20 percent new): It's smoky, dark and earthy, with fine cocoa-powder tannins giving the violet-scented fruit a lithe line.'

2019: Decanter 95/100. NY Times 20 Under $20: 'The aromas of jalapenos, which I find quite attractive, along with earthy flavors of red fruits.'

Wine Enthusiast 91 - EDITORS' CHOICE: 'Berry and cassis aromas turn more subdued and crisp with airing-something that you should expect from a cool-climate Patagonian Malbec such as this. Loamy berry and plum flavors carry the palate, while it feels fleshy on the finish.'

Parker 90: 'The 2020 Catena Malbec shows plenty of roasted notes, toast and ripe fruit, the result of a warmer and riper vintage in 225-liter oak barrels. It reveals a soft and velvety texture, juicy fruit and polished tannins. $24.'

Sweet but also elegant. Nice and modest alcohol at 13%. Full bodied. Nicely fruity and dry-ish. Well balanced, well made. Long, lightly chewy finish. 91/100.

2018: Sweet, round, and fruity. Eager to please. Balance of power and fruit, acid and sweetness. WHAT an harmonious and satisfying taste!. Of fruit, acid, extract, texture. Totally mealworthy. Enormous delight. 91/100.

Suckling 90: 'Blackberry, dark chocolate and some walnut character. Chewy. Savory finish. Hints of dried fruit. Spicy.'

2015: Vinous 92: '14.5% alcohol; aged for a year in new and second-use French oak. Bright, dark ruby-red. Fresh scents of dark fruits, mocha and chocolate lifted by a sexy violet topnote. Nicely concentrated, plush and elegant, and very fresh for a wine from Vistalba (I would have guessed that this wine included some Uco Valley fruit). This captivating Malbec finishes with firm but suave tannins and a solid structure for mid-term aging.'

Family estate of Dany and Michel Rolland at 3600 feet in the Uco Valley. Vineyard planted in 1999. Large and ambitious. Full fruit concentration. Barrel augmentation. Big wine indeed. The fruit is Mendoza ripe and sweet, the acidity admirable, the tannins present yet fine grained. Probably will work with steakhouse fair now. Will cellar well too. 91+/100.

Impressive red black malbec color. The relative sweetness of a lower altitude take. Plenty of fruit to give here. Yes, almost candied sweetness. No edges. Well enough balanced. Broad market appeal. 91/100.

Wine Enthusiast 91: 'Jammy blackberry and cassis aromas are ripe and include an exotic note of cardamom. A healthy palate is structured in layers, while the acidity on this Malbec registers on the low side, which brings richness to the fore. Flavors of blackberry, dark plum, baking spices and chocolate are steady on a focused finish. Drink through 2026.'

2019: Good freshness, lift. Flavor, buoyancy, varietal ID, balance of acid, tannin, strength at 13.5%. Not al all pandering. Suits my tastes all around. 91/100.

2019: Parker 92: 'The 2019 Q Malbec is a step up after coming from the Serie A Malbec. This is more specific about the origin, which is Valle de Uco, but they select grapes from Paraje Altamira and Los Chacayes for this bottling, where the soils start to deliver some chalky minerality in the wines. There is contained ripeness and fully developed flavors and aromas. It's medium to full-bodied with fine, chalky tannins. It matured in concrete and 30% in 500-liter oak barrels.'

2019: Wine & Spirits 93: 'From the high elevations of Cafayate, this wine bursts with freshness, like blackberries in mid-summer. Winemaker Valeria Antolin ages it for nine months in American and French oak barrels, and it's hard to tell if chocolatey oak is affecting the texture, or if the wine just grew that ripe in the thin air of Salta. Intense, with remarkable clarity in the flavors, it holds its aromatics for days. $17.'

Tasting Panel 94; Vinous 93: 'Bright ruby. Pungent, high-toned aromas of blackberry, minerals and licorice. Thick and mouthfilling but leavened by terrific penetrating acidity. The dark berry, wild herb, licorice and chalky mineral flavors are complemented by a chocolatey ripeness. Sweet, plush tannins saturate the entire palate, with the finish displaying explosive length. Very strong, very pure and very smooth; expressive and unique. The Davalos family, owners of Bodega Tacuil, also owned Colome before selling the property to Donald Hess in 2001. (this wine, made without any oak contact, represents a tribute to the old RD bottling of Bodega Tacuil). Drink now-2028.'

Bright, vivid, snappy, citrusy chardonnay. Very crisp and citrusy indeed. Full acid race. Like a squeeze of lemon with fish. 91/100.

2020: Proper cold cream aroma of gewurz-leaning torrontes. Flavor confirms. Good acid. More citrus the second evening, giving additional vitality. Dry but not austerely so. Improves with aeration. 90+/100.

2020: Parker 91: 'They have a parral vineyard rented in Cafayate to produce the 2020 Torrontes Serie A, a wine that aims to show the typical style of Torrontes. It was fermented and bottled early with short maceration to look for finesse and subtler aromas, pressing the clusters directly. The result is citrus and floral and without the bitterness the grape can deliver. It has a dry and fresh finish without rusticity.'

Good, clear, medium ripeness level of a Colchagua cabernet. New World fruit ripeness but Euro weight. Good. 90/100.

Tasting Panel 91/100. My notes: Sweet and intense black fruit of Maipo cabernet. Even some black currant snap. Palate confirms. The relative sweetness will appeal to critics and young tastes alike. Cleverly crafted..and well done. 91/100.

35% cabernet franc, 30% malbec, 20% petit verdot, 15% syrah. Quite dry. Harmonious melange of the varieties creates an attractive package. The palate is deliciously fruity and vital. Well crafted wine. Kudos to the winemaker. Wide applications. 91/100.

15% syrah. Black fruited and concentrated. The syrah gives framing to the lush carmenere filling. Rich, oak tinged, and well balanced. Long finish. All the carmenere assets and none of the drawbacks. The syrah is a plus. Commendable. 91/100.

All carmenere. 60 year old vines. Sweet and smooth, uncomplicated ripe carmenere. All to the positive. Full fruit cremes balanced by berry juice acidity. Good overall. 91/100.

2015: 60 year old vines; 10% cabernet sauvignon. Clear, elegant oak and carmenere berry-plum confit. Sweet and spicy, penetrating aromas. Great oak embellishments. Balanced, fresh, upscale, delicious presentation of carmenere. Fine tannins. 92/100.

Est. 1892. Rich and full of material, with marked oak complexity to boot. Wow. Size and force and delivery. Yes, rich, ripe, well framed and sooo generously filled out. Ideal. 92/100.

2015: By Jacques and Francois Lurton. They nailed it. Super carmenere cassis intensity. So pure, clear, and ripe. Spot on. Nothing over the top. No earth, leather. Yes, varietal clarity, levity of French craftsmen. Works. 92/100.

The usual bright fruit here, No carmenere negatives here. All merlot on steroids. Yeah, rich and right. Good acid. All about current drinking pleasure. 91/100.

2018: Super Gran Reserva oak and barrel aging input. Carmenere's full measure of cassis. Admirable carmenere, on point and thorough. Wow. Yes, the sweet, abundant fruit of ripe carmenere meets a complex of oak and barrel tastes and textures to counter-balance it, fill it out further. Complete carmenere. 92/100.

14.5%. Heavy Bottle Award. Deep, sweet, rustic carmenere. Earthy but not funky. Good acid, flavor, balance. Accurate varietal character. Good. 91/100.

Wine Enthusiast 91 - TOP 100: 'Spicy berry aromas are accented by black tea and leafy scents that create an ideal Carmenere nose. A tightly concentrated palate offers mixed berry flavors touched up by the right level of oak and spice. A steady finish brings juicy acidity and toasty notes.'

A bright, purple fruited Maipo carmenere. Boysenberry aroma. Palate confirms aroma. Super smooth varietal nature with good acid ring too. 91/100.

Abundantly fruity carmenere with no flaws. Good acid-sweetness balance. Good overall. 91/100.

2012: Wine Spectator 92 - TOP 100: Deeply colored and voluptuous, with a lush, spicy aroma and rich flavors of blackberry, blueberry and dark plum. Concentrated chocolate mousse notes emerge midpalate, leading to a cream-filled finish that ends with plenty of mocha accents. Drink now through 2021.'

Barrel aged, 10% new, 90% second year. Black color. Rich black fruits. Deep and dark and significant. Barrel aged complex. Luxurious black fruit, dark and spicy. Maipo varietal charity and concentration. 92+/100.

2017: Unique. Really an illuminating take on the humble pais. Exceptional fresh, fruity, floral. Kudos to the winemaker. Fruit juicy good. Vigorous. Wild. Pushes VA without crossing the border. 91/100.

2020: Tasting Panel 91: 'This one's an incredible value, with a soft palate of herbs, bright, juicy citrus, and exuberant acidity.'

Wine & Spirits 92: 'The Matetic family planted their first vines in San Antonio in 1999, farming them under biodynamics. They have since expanded into Casablanca, where they grow a portion of this sauvignon to blend with their San Antonio fruit. It's rich and concentrated, with perfumed notes of agave and herbs woven into ripe fruit flavors of cherimoya and orange zest. Tight, spicy and long, this is a coastal white for pan-roasted sole.'

Ricardo Baettig makes this wine from two estate vineyards in Lo Ovalle, a valley in the coastal range of northwestern Casablanca. Ah! A flash of bright lights! Crisp, lemony, vigorous. Citrus and passion fruit. Very alluring flavor set. Great acid. Long finish. 92/100.

All sauvignon gris; cuttings brought from Graves early last century. This one's understated to start too. I don't get an SUS issue. Wow, that's about the briskest, brightest fruit acidity I'm ever found in this cuvee. Exceptionally flavorful too. Those nutty gris aspects as well as innate sauvignon citricity. Worth the pursuit to catch one like this at the right stage. 91/100. Attendees appreciated its uniqueness and quality.