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Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 |
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“The Cabernet Sauvignon base (90 percent) is touché up with some Carménère and Cabernet Franc from a small area they call the “high Maipo.” Super value, plump and juicy, fresh and dried strawberries in the taste, with a licorice finish.”
“With lavish blackberry, smoky black cherry and chocolate notes, it’s a real power tripper red from Chile.” 92
"...offers a lot of flavor for the money: smoky black cherry and plum, notes of anise and spice and medium tannins."
"Another core listing worth revisiting. Lots going on, with red currant, black fruit, even a little black olive flavour, with firm but ripe tannin and a whiff of spice."
...puts out classic toasty black currant aromas and flavors. This full-bodied wine has plenty of ripe fruit and well-integrated oak, tannin, and acidity. It has 2-3 years of aging potential and should drink well through 2025.
Sweet tomato sauce, fig, plum, and a touch of cedar. Soft tannins balanced by lively acidity make it very well balances. Pastas.
The best Marques Cabernet to date, with opulent berry flavors, savory mint and mineral acidity. 93
"A Maipo Valley Concha y Toro wine, which gives it lots of credential. Big black cherry, fig aroma and taste, with easy to take tannins".
"A powerful wine from Chile offering a solid core of red and black fruit wrapped tightly in aromas of tobacco, cassis, vanilla, and spicy oak. The aromas follow through in the flavor, with fleshy fruit and big tannins offering structure. The long finish reveals flavors of dried herbs and chocolate among the ripe fruit". 90 - Highly Recommended
“The aromatic nose covers a lot of territory with hints of chocolate cherries to ripe fruits and dried herbs. Elegant and regal in the mouth with flavors of mature berries, fresh mint and toasted oak. Firm tannins and fresh earth lead into a seamless long finish. Serve with lamb chops marinated in salt, pepper, lemon, garlic and olive oil”.
"This full-bodied red from Chile’s well known Concha y Toro winery is an amazing buy. It shows textbook New World Cabernet flavours of cassis, plum, chocolate and cedar, with a ripe, juicy core and firm tannins on the finish. I’d like to try this 2004 vintage in eight or ten years."
"Broad-shouldered, with loam, sage, tobacco and currant flavors backed by a solid tannin structure. Dark and fleshy on the finish. Drink now through 2009." 90 - "Smart Buy"
"This is one of the Conchas that I mentioned compared with wines costing more than $100 in a tasting last year. Buy some, drink a few and cellar a few, you will not be disappointed." “Wines of the Week”
“Consistently potent year after year, this Chilean Cab brims with mocha, blackberry and tarry layers.”
"From the Maipo Valley, this is a big, tannic wine, but backed up by bold red and dark fruits with oaky vanilla and spice. Very tight but showing jammy fruits and chocolate on the finish."
“Very solid, with ripe cassis, blackberry and boysenberry fruit offset by vanilla, mineral and cocoa notes.” 91
“Dark red. Strong, varietally accurate aromas of bitter cherry, blackcurrant, dark chocolate and fresh tobacco. Lush and creamy yet juicy, with ripe cherry and mocha flavors. Sweet berry fruit flavors are wrapped in suave, silky tannins.” 89
“The aroma was full of wood, smoke and tobacco, mostly hiding the cherry fruit. The wood and smoke dominated on the palate as well. The tannins were firm and need aging or rare meat to soften.”
“The warm year plus winemaker Marcelo Papa’s propensity to push his La Protectora Vineyard to super-ripeness resulted in this dense and chocolately red. Yet despite the richness, a solid core to tannins supports the weight and a juicy acidity buoys the fruit. You may want to give it an extra boost with a light chill; the presence of a thick-cut steak would help as well.” 91
“Made in the Maipo Valley, this wine was aged in French oak for 14 months. Gorgeous aromas of black cherries, coffee and smoke. Medium- to full Bodied. A touch tannic. Drink 2005 to 2010. Pair with grilled meats and barbecue. An amazing value.”
“Spicy, minty bouquet, quite intense. Broad spicy ripe fruit, plumy middle enlivened by finely tuned tannins. Up to 5 years.” * * * *
“Very solid, with ripe cassis, blackberry and boysenberry fruit offset by vanilla, mineral and cocoa notes. Shows a loamy undertow, but stays fresh and focused through the finish. This has a great track record of value. Drink now through 2007.” 91 SMART BUY
“Tar, mint and black-cherry nose leads to a meaty palate of chocolate-covered cherry, black plum and black pepper. A ton of complexity for the price.”
“Black currants, red cherries and subtle, toasted French oak wrapped in a smooth, round palate.”
"Very solid, with ripe cassis, blackberry and boysenberry fruit offset by vanilla, mineral and cocoa notes. Shows a loamy undertow, but stays fresh and focused through the finish. This has a great track record of value. Drink now through 2007." Best Buy of the Week.
“. . .thoroughly enjoyable, featuring powerful dark berry- and currant-flavored fruit. Spicy oak is also present, but pure, intense fruit notes clearly dominate the wine's impressive profile.”
“Tar, mint and black cherry aromas; flavors of dried meat, chocolate-covered cherry and black pepper; complex, with big tannins and some heat - needs food.”
“Plenty of crunchy, peppery dark fruit in this perennial high performer made from Puente Alto fruit. Up to 2007.” * * * * Best Values
“Structured and powerful with dark rich fruit.” Critics Award
“. . .thoroughly enjoyable, featuring powerful dark berry- and currant-flavored fruit. Spicy oak is also present, but pure, intense fruit notes clearly dominate the wine's impressive profile.”
“Ripe fruit nose of cassis, blackberry and leather notes. Rich, smooth, toasty oak.”
“Deep, intense with a hint of black cherry, full-bodied, quite delicious.”
“Fifteen bucks? You gotta be kiddin’ me! Buy this excellent best buy; you cannot lose.”
“Here’s where the quality and value of Chilean red wines truly takes flight. Concha y Toro’s stunning Cabernet offers abundant ripe fruit flavours with oak-derived coffee and vanilla notes. The texture is plush and pleasant, with wonderful structure and intensity. For less than $20 you are able to enjoy a dynamic red that offers the same drinking pleasure as any number f New World Cabs currently retailing for $60-plus.” * * * * +
“. . .muscular yet supple, with strong black currant, strawberry, spice and licorice notes.”
“…Soaring sweet aromas of cassis intermingled with eucalyptus, vanilla, leather and a wisp of woodsmoke. The feel was dense and richly textured but not at all awkward, and the flavours held long and true.” Pick of the Month * * * *
" A fantastic value, this features blackberries, cocoa, smoke and fresh meat, with impeccable balance and structural symmetry."
"A silky red with lush black cherry, vanilla bean, coconut and chocolate layers." 91
“Full bodied with leather, licorice, and smoke followed by black cherry and fig; long finish. Grilled lamb with fig demiglace.” Serve now, but will hold for some time. Excellent by-the-glass choice.
“. . . this Marques Cabernet is about $15, and it tastes and drinks just like the more expensive wines. It is without a doubt one of the most impressive bargain wines made in South America. . .Although quite youthful, it is a massive wine with complex characteristics. In the glass, this Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet is a deep blackish-red, with complete opacity from the center out into a purplish-red rim definition with slow-moving "long legs" in the form of its high viscosity. On the nose, the wine comes out of the glass with all guns blazing on the olfactory senses, showing massive crushed black fruit, crème de cassis, blackberry jam, boysenberry sorbet, herbs de Provence, oak references and liquid minerals. On the palate, there is a solid structure of black fruit with spice infused wood, boysenberry juice, chewy black cherry fruit, essence of black currants, pepper-laced red fruit and juice. The midpalate is a plethora of star-anise, herbs, spices and sweet tobacco going into a 30-plus-second finish that has much juicy black fruit and soft supple tannins. It is a monster of a wine that drinks like a dream right out of the bottle, but could use about one hour of "breathing" time. It should drink perfectly well through 2010. Try it with carne asada (dark beer-marinated flank steak) on the grill and some root vegetables alongside. It is highly recommended. ”
“Ruby red in color, with a thick, modern nose that exudes aromas of mocha, caramel, ripe berry, burnt meat and popcorn. To say it’s offering quite a bit is an understatement. The mouth is creamy, with dark plum and berry fruit, while the back end is easygoing and sizable. Mouthfilling and likeable, and quite affordable for how much you get.” Best Buy 89
"Expansive ripe fruit nose of cassis, blackberry and leather notes. Rich, smooth, toasty oak. Up to 3 years."
"Very solid beam of raspberry and black currant fruit here, caressed by sweet toast, cocoa and smoke notes. Hints of loam and tar on the finish, which is juicy and ripe. Delicious and should age nicely in the short-term as well. Drink now through 2005." 89
“A very serious wine, made in a rich, ripe style that expresses its origin with notes of cassis, chocolate and velvety tannins on the finish.”
"100 Best Values of 2004"
". . . a very serious wine, made in a rich, ripe style that expresses its origin with notes of cassis, chocolate and velvety tannins on the finish" World’s 50 Best Buys
"Concha y Toro continues to produce a wide range of quality wines that represent good value. Its Cabernet Sauvignon hits the mark with wonderful aromas of ripe black raspberry and cassis fruit with a hint of coffee grinds. The flavors unfold with layers of ripe fruit and a touch of vanilla oak in the finish. Perfect choice with leg of lamb with spring vegetables."
"This sensational value has a range of flavors, structure and other important characteristics that some wines costing five times more can’t match. The nose is full of plum, black fruit, and coffee, while the palate is pure dynamite; it’s a textbook modern Cabernet that hits the target squarely in the center." Editor's Choice 91
"Exceptional Value - Marcello Papa makes this wine from a sector of the same vineyard where Don Melchor grows, and in 2001, he has made the best Marques Cabernet yet. The wine’s strawberry and cassis flavors fill out a voluptuous texture, their freshness and juicy richness balancing the ripe tannins. Try it with roast duck and raspberry sauce." 91
"Dark and ruby-red, this wine had ample aromas of dried berry fruit, coffee, clove and earth. Tasters applauded this wine’s flavors of ripe black cherry, blueberry, coffee and zippy white pepper. This medium- to full-bodied wine had a rich, full mouthfeel and finished with tart berries, earth and slightly drying tannins. Food Friendliness: Try any red meat preparation, from game to barbecue to steak au poivre." Good Value 91
"Elegant, with cassis, black cherry and currant fruit, subtle vanilla and toast shadings and slightly firm but fine tannins. Not a powerhouse like previous vintages of this wine, but a balanced effort in a lighter vintage. Drink now through 2005." 89 Smart Buy
"This is a Cab that all Cabs under $20 should model themselves after – no hard edges and good full body."
"Bright crimson hue. Aromas of black cherry, plum, wintergreen and vanillin oak. Ripe flavors of black cherry, plum and bittersweet chocolate. Tannins make their presence felt in the finish." 86
"Oak and blackberry aromas, big cassis flavors, bitter chocolate finish."
"Generous leather and spice nose. Ripe, concentrated, big fruit flavours, chocolate and mocha. Sweet oak, great balance, beautifully made. Lasts forever! Highly Recommended"
"Displays more than enough cassis/mint charm for me." Recommended * * *
"This reliable winery delivers superb quality. Ripe, juicy and sophisticated." 90
"...tastes of plums and dark berries, with an intriguing aroma reminiscent of cedar, tobacco and sweet leather. Intense but balanced, it should age gracefully for a number of years."
"...is a deep, dark, black/purple-colored wine with classic Cabernet Sauvignon aromas of rich, ripe currant and cassis fruit overlain with the complex aromas of earth, smoke and minerals. On the palate it is rich and full bodied, with echoes of the same rich, ripe black fruits and a tannic structure that gives this wine a great aging potential. The finish is long and complex and easily sets this wine in a quality category with wines two to three times its less cthan-$15 price. "
"...is grown at Puente Alto in the heart of the Maipos best vineyards. The Marques series is Concha y Toros ode to French winemaking. Look for quite a smoky nose with leafy mint and peppery aromas streaked with brambleberry fruit. Its intense on the palate c smoky, spicy flavours of coffee, pepper, blackberry and sweaty leather. The tannins are young and somewhat rustic; the finish is long and marked with vanilla/coffee flavours and a touch of acidity. " 15.5/20
This textbook Cab is ripe and juicy with cassis, mineral and smoky flavors. " 90
"Top 100 Wines of 2002 - #56" 90
"Best Buy - Dark, dense and saturated Cabernet is what's on offer here, the real deal for a steal. The nose is rich with cassis, plum, herbs and tobacco. There's plenty of depth and density to the palate. The finish offers moderate tannins, tasty mocha and coffee flavors and vital berry fruit." 89
"Highly Recommended. Brilliant ruby red hue. Black currant, olive and tar aromas. A rich entry leads to a moderately full-bodied palate with good depth of fruit, big, somewhat overpowering tannins and balanced acidity. This needs time to settle down. Best Buy." 88
"Black fruit and cherry syrup flavors up front meld into a foresty richness in the end. The fruit is fresher in the finish, well integrated with the tannin..." 87
"Old World-style Cab, with ripe currant and cassis flavors and mineral, loam, smoke and earth notes. Ripe and juicy, with lovely mouthfeel and the tug of goût de terroir on the finish. Back-to-back outstanding efforts for this wine." 90
"Dark fruit and toasty oak aromas give way to black currants and plums, smoke and mint flavors, amid firm, ripe tannins. Best with splash decanting."
"Highly recommended. Brilliant ruby red hue. A rich entry leads to a moderately full-bodied palate and a complete finish with persistent fruit, fine acidity and young, but balanced tannins. Good value." 88
"Muted cranberry hue. Fresh blueberry aromas with tea and tobacco accents. Dry, earthy flavors with tempered tannins. Accessible, soft and enjoyable." 87
"...leads the way, being one of the most impressive under-$15 wines I have tasted this year."
"The quality of the 1999 vintage in Chile is reflected in the red's balance and harmony, expressing pure currant flavors accented by smoked and mineral notes. South America continues to churn out some impressive reds, in both the high-end and value price ranges. The fruit for this wine comes from the same Puente Alto vineyard that provides the fruit for Concha y Toro's Don Melchor Cabernet and the Viña Almaviva, two of the top cabernet-based wines coming from Chile today. In the terrific '99 vintage, it's no surprise that the Marques de Casa Concha rates outstanding (the '99 Almaviva scored 92 points and the '99 Don Melchor has not yet been released). It sports mineral, currant, smoke and mint flavors, with firm but ripe tannins. Lovely flesh and concentration, this marries Old and New World styles in an alluring way. A great example of Cabernet from this region, and shows how good this vintage is. What a buy, too." 90
"It's all youthful extract for the moment, and needs plenty of air to grow beyond the black and unctuous initial impression toward cherry, chocolate and smoke. The oak and extract keeps it cloaked in black, but time should lead all the firm fruit from straight on power toward complexity." 92
"...sports mineral, currant, smoke and mint flavors, with firm but ripe tannins. Lovely flesh and concentration, this marries Old and New World styles in an alluring way. A great example of Cabernet from this region, and shows how good this vintage is. What a buy, too." 90
"The nose and palate of this medium-full, slightly burly red are darkly fruited, with sweet cedar, briar tobacco and chocolate accents. A smooth, almost silky texture nearly belies the firm tannic structure beneath, which comes to the fore on the close." 87
"Full ruby-red. Cassis, red currant and tobacco leaf on the nose. Juicy, firm flavors of black cherry and mint." 85
"...has an oaky aroma with black cherry and black pepper flavors...full and rich"
"...the wine has concentration and power combined with ripe, New World personality. Deep fruit on the nose shows typical Chilean blackcurrant with hints of blackberry. Richly fruity in the mouth, tannins are relatively supple and the wine finishes with well integrated fruit and oak. Ready to drink."
"Oaky aromas, clack cherry and black pepper flavors, full and rich." Recommended
"Meaty scents of bacon, smoke and tobacco. Black cherry fruit imbued with tart, drying tannins. Bitter espresso and sour cherry notes in the finish."
"Red-ruby. Aromas of red currant, strawberry, black raspberry, hot stones and eucalyptus. Finishes with dusty, light tannins and notes of oak spice, smoke and hot stones." 84
"...is hardly a stranger over the years, made from the Puente Alto single vineyard well up into the Andes foothills. There's lots of ripe black fruit flavour here--plums and blackberries mostly--with a bright acidity and lovely sweet vanilla finish."
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