Casarena Owen's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
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James
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Robert
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James Suckling
A very balanced cabernet with spice, chocolate, currant bush and chili. Full body, ultra-fine tannins. Clean and pretty. Vineyard planted in the 1930s. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Owen's Vineyard comes from the parral also used for the Cabernet Sauvignon Reservado. They didn't have a Cabernet in the single-vineyard line so added this one from an 80-year-old plot in Agrelo that produces very good grapes that were traditionally sold to Catena where Bernardo Bonilla, the winemaker, used to work. Cabernet usually ripens later than Malbec, and Bernardo likes Cabernet with red fruit, but does not dislike the herbal aromas traditionally linked to the variety, and this has them all. The complex nose also has aromas of blond tobacco, black pepper, vanilla and smoke. The palate reveals a serious wine, that is quite oaky and has ripe, charred flavors that should better integrate with time in bottle. Rating: 91+
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2019-
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James
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Robert
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Casarena is forging a different path from the other wineries in Mendoza. Instead of searching for undiscovered terroirs in new places like the Uco Valley, it is discovering the hidden gems in its home region of Lujan de Cuyo—a place full of rich tradition, potential, and unique micro-terroirs. Casarena has purchased as well as planted vineyards in several distinctive sites, and they control all aspects of winegrowing and winemaking in order to maximize the flavor expression of these terroirs.
The name “Casarena” is a creative merging of the Spanish words “casa” (house) and “arena” (sand), and is a tribute to their restored 1930s winery made of sand-colored stone and the sandy soil that their estate is built on. All theses features gather together unbeatable height, climate and soil conditions to cultivate premium vineyards. The Wine Making team is headed by Michel Rolland.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
By far the largest and best-known winemaking province in Argentina, Mendoza is responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. Set in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains, the climate is dry and continental, presenting relatively few challenges for viticulturists during the growing season. Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, is the source of some of the country’s finest wines.
For many wine lovers, Mendoza is practically synonymous with Malbec. Originally a Bordelaise variety brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s, here it found success and renown that it never knew in its homeland where a finicky climate gives mixed results. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir are all widely planted here as well (and sometimes even blended with each other or Malbec). Mendoza's main white varieties include Chardonnay, Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.