Bad to the Bone, Marques de Casa Concha 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

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Wow, this wine really is like what George Thorogood once described it's "Bad to the Bone"! This wine showed on a stinking hot one hundred degree November Day, rolling around in the back of UPS truck, bouncing from side to side and finally arrived at my door step. The bottle was still warm from the record breaking temps, but was unfazed by the conditions outside, a lesser wine would have wilted like a weak kneed little girl, fielding a kiss from a new found beau.

Oh no, not this vino, it was packing some serious heat and in a good way, even after I pulled the cork weeks later, after it had recuperated in my wine cellar, I noticed that on the wine was starting to push up past the cork, reaching for the foil.  I thought for sure that it was going to be heat damaged or spoiled, but oh no this wine was Locked, Cocked and ready to freaking Rock. I imagined how good this wine would have been if I had the opportunity to taste it, under better conditions, that said there was no denying this vino is high speed and teflon coated so look out.

Tools: Wines are like tools and this wine could be compared to a blunt hammer, it is meant for smashing. This tool is wine-freaking-tastic [yes that is a word, don't question it] and will rock your palate like Jet-Li on steroids. A cocktail wine fo-sure! Yep you heard me right, take this vino to your next cocktail or dinner party and you'll have unleashed some whoop-ass upon your guests palates and in case you think this wines only value is its beauty and amazement around the the wine-bar, oh no if you want to throw some phat T-Bones on the grill or a New York Strip, this wine is meaty and bold enough to coax the amazement out of the best cut you could throw at it.

Advice: Gentlemen this wine will have the ladies chasing after you and ladies serving this wine to your luv interest will most likely result in a proposal.  I could not believe the quality of this beast after I uncorked it an opaque monster of fiercesome resolve and courage. I sipped on it for a few minutes without decanting and thought, ummm it's great now but will be even better with some time to decant, it's a hedonistic monster, worth waiting a little more time for it to unfold. I cooked dinner on the grill and enjoyed a fine T-Bone, while the wife was off with her colleagues enjoying happy hour appetizers [her loss]. The T-Bone was held down at the mercy of the Marques De Casa Concha and finally succumbed to its wondrous powers, melding effortlessly into a beauteous wonderment of fantastic proportions and oh yeah the dinner was fab as well.

She Said: "You ask me why I do not write something....I think one's feelings waste themselves in words, they ought all to be distilled into actions and into actions which bring results." -- Florence Nightingale. Who knew such a profound statement would come from a source like this one. Be that as it may, she is so right actions do bring results and what nearly amounts to be Thanksgiving Eve, a wine that brings some fantastic results of yummy proportions for such a tiny price is waiting for you to place your order, so don't delay and grab yourself some today or at your earliest convenience. It's a very young wine that is drinking fantastic right now, but will age gracefully in the right place and upon opening in a few long years will reward your patience richly.

Sniff, Swirly-Swirl, Slurp: This wine is extraordinarily rich and rewarding now and a bit youthful , it still shows extremely well and should drink brilliantly for the next five years. In the glass it has a very dark ruby   core, nearly opaque. In the nose a deep penetrating aromas of blackberries, red licorice, leather, minerality and well integrated French oak.  At first blush it coats the mouth with a richly fruited wild blueberry, covered in mocha dust and cherry that plays against a lovely backdrop of well honed tannins.

Full Disclosure: For those folks interested, this wine was a sample sent to the CCWB for the review process.

Price, ABV and Score: This wine sells anywhere between $17.95 and $24.95 each and has a 14.5%. It's a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon leading the way, 7% Carmenère, 1% Petit Verdot. On the score side of the equation, I gave this wine 93 smoking hot points on the CCWB 100 point scale, because it kicks some serious ass and takes no prisoners.

Where From: The 2010 Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon, from the MaipoValley of Chile. Concha y Toro is the leading wine company in Chile in terms of quantity and, happily, also occupies a commanding position in terms of quality for many of its brands. Concha y Toro's myriad labels include Cono Sur, Terrunyo, Los Robles, Casillero del Diablo, Don Melchor and Marqués de Casa Concha.

Other Voices: Jancis Robinson had this to say about this wine, "This is a really well-balanced, well-constituted wine with a future, a wine that you could drink now with food but that will repay keeping." I think this means she liked it.

My Recommendation: Folks honestly this is great juice for a great price. If you don't about this wine and you love a great Cabernet Sauvignon, don't miss this one. Please DECANT, you will thank me later. It's a very big wine and needs time to unwind. It will drink nicely now, but will get better with more time in the bottle as long as it is stored properly. Do yourself a favor, don't blink or you'll miss it. Grab yourself a case or two, you will thank me over and over. Until next time sip long and prosper, cheers!