Deep hue. Pleasing scent of cassis and vanilla oak. Really ripe and fleshy wine, brambly and blackcurrant fruit, a liquorice edge, and a twist of white pepper. This always exhibits a seductive, liqueur element. Now-2014

Product Code: CAE209

Philippe Subra arrived from south-west France with his wife, Brigitte, in Mendoza in 1998 as a manager in an engineering business, and established CarinaE (named after a giant, glowing nebula in Sagittarius which lights up the southern sky at night) in 2003, buying several small parcels of old vines, at Cruz de Piedra, near the winery, and especially at the renowned Calle Cobos in Perdriel, Luján de Cuyo. This is very much a boutique winery, focussing on small production wines, distinguished by colourful and very stylish labels, and with the winemaking conducted by the Mendoza arm of consultant Michel Rolland. The reds here show the hallmarks of Rolland’s influence: the grapes are picked late, resulting in a very lush, high alcohol style; there is bleeding off (especially for the top cuvées) to maximise the percentage of pip and skin to liquid; long macerations; and generous quantities of French oak. But not for nothing are the services of Rolland and his team so widely employed in Argentina. The fruit of old vines and top terroirs can benefit from this recipe and engender great wines; and already CarinaE wines have received top scores from Parker’s Wine Advocate, The Wine Spectator and other critics.