I just got back from a fun evening sailing with some friends. The kids are in bed and I’m ready to relax. Recently I bought a few bottles of wine from Costco and now is as good a time to try them as any.
Both bottles are from South America. One from Chile and the other From Argentina.
The first bottle is the 2006 BenMarco Malbec from the Mendoza district of Argentina. It has a lightly fruit forward nose with hints of oak and vanilla. Immediately on the tongue is that forward black cherry flavor smooth in the middle and a clean, slightly acidic, finish. The smoky oak lingers for a few minutes on the tongue. On the street you’ll pay between 16 and 20 dollars for a bottle. For that price it’s a solid buy. It’s worth that and probably a little more.
The second bottle is the 2006 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvingnon from Chile. An entirely different wine from the BenMarco Malbec this Cab has a strong oak nose with subtle fruit and a very subtle vegetative aroma common among Chilean wines, though this one is not at all offensive. Its flavors are not overly complex, playing back those same oaky notes but stronger fruit all in a good way. I’d be proud to serve this wine with any great steak. At about $16 this Cabernet is a bargain.
In the past I’ve found that tasting one wine after another often reveals flaws. A mediocre wine’s flaws may not be readily aparent until you taste it against something better. The mediocre becomes undrinkable swill 
In the case of these two wines, they stand up to each other well. Each has it’s strengths and neither shows any real weakness. I’m still enjoying both quite happily.
