Finca Flichman (Argentina) Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2004
Finca Flichman’s vineyards were first planted in 1873, though the Flichman family established the company in 1910. But in 1998 the large Portuguese company of Sogrape took over, and there has been substantial investment in the winery since. This is 100 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon from the Mendoza region of Argentina. The ‘Reserva’ bottling spends six months in oak casks before an extended ageing in bottle. It has a deep, meaty, plum and crushed blackberry nose, with cedary components and a dark, raisiny quality. On the palate this is a very substantial wine, with a thick, mouth-coating smear of black fruits that are ripe, sweet-edged and delicious, but all hewn from a rich, robust tannic core. There is massive grip that fuses with spice, pepper and leathery notes to make for a real mouthful of wine, but all nicely balanced and composed. This chunky but delightful red would be fair value at its 7.99 starting price, but that falls to 4.99 on Thresher/WineRack’s ‘3 for 2’ deal, making it a star buy.
