Cueva de las Manos Bonarda Old Vine Reserve

Chakana’s purple-colored 2008 Bonarda Cueva de les Manos offers a fruity, Beaujolais-like nose featuring plums and mulberries. Fruity, forward, and easy-going, this tasty effort will match well with bistro cuisine. Drink it over the next 3 years.

Ripe and forward, with a slightly jammy beam of raspberry, crushed plum and mulled cherry fruit laced with plenty of spice and toast. Will have some fans for sure. Drink now.

This little-known Argentine winder is a power-packed behemoth of flavor. It is almost pitch black in the glass and brimming with aromas of crushed blueberries and chocolate. Although it looks to be very heavy and cloying, the body weight is not too excessive. Layers of fruit and spice blend with a tangy acidity that offsets the weight. A blast of tart raspberry fruit and a hint of smooth vanilla round out the long, mildly tannic finish. In Argentina, beef is king, so I would suggest the traditional pairing with a dry-aged steak. On the other hand, some spicy chorizo would make a fantastic companion as well.

Deep ruby red in color, with aromas of blackberry and plum that entice you from the start. Intense black cherry and fig flavors come packaged in a creamy-textured body, giving way to a sweet vanilla aftertaste with just the right amount of oak to hold it all together. This is a wine you must try.