Vina Casa Silva Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Colchagua, Chile $16
What the Wine Critics thought: Wine Spectator 90 points
Big boned red, with powerful cassis, plum and blackberry fruit, and plenty of muscular smoke, licorice, iron, dark chocolate and mint notes. Thick gutsy finish. Wins on power, not polish, but lots of character. Drink now through 2006.

What we thought: Not for the timid, this is a big chewy wine with lots of power. The big cedary nose exhibits lots of cassis and a little eucalyptus. It’s like printers ink in the glass, thick and rich with dark blackberry and black currant fruit accented with bittersweet chocolate and supported by some very dry, firm tannins.

January 14, 2004