What Does a Patagonian Goose and an Argentinean Winery Have in Common?
Well for starters their name. A Kaiken is a South American goose which flies over the Andes, traversing the lands between Chile and Argentina. This is why the folks at Montes, a well respected Chilean winery, chose this name for their Argentinean project. The idea was to take the world class grapes of Argentina and couple it with the experience of both Chilean and Argentinean winemakers to produce praise-worthy wines at reasonable prices. The verdict? Success!
At Kaiken they do four wines for now. Two Cabernets and two Malbec. At around 12 bucks a pop is the Reserve label of Cab and Malbec. In the Cab, look for black olive and plum on the nose, along with a bouquet of vanilla and bitter chocolate. The palate is rich with dark fruit and a long finish. The Malbec is lighter, but not lacking in intensity. Ripe cherries and raspberries give way to butterscotch and tobacco on the nose, followed by supple tannins and jammy fruit.
Kaiken’s other labels are the Ultra Cabernet and Ultra Malbec, and at closer to $20, these two are really great bargains. The first is a true Argentinean Cab. Deep, brooding black cherry and currant frame the spicy tannins. Surprisingly elegant with some definite aging potential. Red berries and tobacco define the Malbec. It’s velvety smooth for such a full bodied example of this varietal, with toasty vanilla on the long finish.
Pair these wines with beef and heavier game like venison and wild boar. Smoked meats, cheeses and cigars also make magnificent accompaniments. With the sort of reputation Montes has already made for themselves in Chile, you can count on Kaiken to deliver equally delicious wines in Argentina.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
What do a San Francisco bus terminal and a Winery have in common? Crushpad, San Francisco’s only urban winery overlooks the bus terminal rather than vineyards. Regardless of the view, customer come to Crushpad to custom create their very own wine. The process can be as hands on or off as you like, and you can make wine without quitting your day job or moving to Napa. Check them out at www.crushpadwine.com or www.crushnet.com