Over the last year I've revisited the wines of Valentin Bianchi on several 
occasions. There are a couple of reasons for that. For one, Argentine wines are of particular interest to me. Additionally I have found the Valentin Bianchi wines to be well made and good values across different tiers and price levels. Today I'll look at one of their blends.
The 2005 Don Valentin Bianchi Lacrado is a composed of Cabernet Sauvignon (34%), Malbec (33%), and Merlot (33%). This offering sees no wood and is aged completely in stainless steel, then filtered and bottled. The suggested retail price for this wine is $11.99.
I found the nose of this wine to be exceedingly fragrant. Plum, anise and subtle lavender notes amomgst the most prominent characteristics. While this wine is slightly tight out of the bottle, it opens up quickly. 30 minutes in the decanter really does the trick. The palate of this blend mixes in an impressive smoothness for it's price range with some rustic charm that brings to mind old world field blends. Berry characteristics abound along with some light coffee notes on the finish as well as earth and pepper spice. It's a rich, mouth-filling wine, offering plenty of drinking pleasure. This will match nicely with grilled meats. Chorizo comes to mind as a perfect accompaniment. Aged, better, Parmesan cheese would work nicely as well.
This is a wine made to drink in it's youth. It's priced to be affordable everyday. Another solid value from Valentin Bianchi.
Imported by Quintessential Wines
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