We taste 1000s of wines each year. This is THE BEST red wine, under $40 retail, that I have personally tasted this year.
After success in both Napa Valley (Revana Family Vineyard) and the Willamette Valley (Alexana Vineyards & Winery), Dr. Madaiah Revana sought out to extend his portfolio of terroir driven, vineyard specific wines to the southern hemisphere. After visiting the Uco Valley in 2008, he discovered untapped potential for world class wines. With surgical precision, and a quality driven philosophy, he continues to produce inspiring wines from inspiring landscapes.
This 100% Cabernet Franc comes from a single block within the estate vineyards at the foot of the Andes Mountains. At more than 3,800’ above sea level, the vineyards benefit from these deeply alluvial lands with abundant solar exposure. This variety, after Malbec, is the one that has evolved best in the last five years. The winemaking team strives to obtain varietal typicity with this high-altitude Cabernet Franc - complex and well structured, with elegant tannins and the perfect balance of tannin from 15 months aging in French oak barrels. This vintage displays a concentrated aroma of jam, red peppers, and tobacco, while having well-structured, full-bodied notes on the palate. While it is a big, big wine, it has a real sense of elegance – the iron fist in a silk glove – type of feeling. The finish goes on forever.
