D.V. Catena Tinto Historico Red Blend 2018

I’m always on the hunt for under twenty dollar stunners, and with the addition of Catena and Aruma wines from Nicolas Catena to our repertoire, we’ve been treated to a bevy of riches coming out of Argentina of late.

I’ve tasted through thousands of bottles. A literal sea of mediocrity but out of the winners, the Catena name has been on more than a few.

But with the family’s Historico bottlings– you’re not just getting the Catena name, winemaking prowess, or the elite, high-altitude vineyard locations in Mendoza, but you’re also getting an assortment of some ridiculously gnarly old-vines.

This full-throttled blockbuster blend comes from vines dating all the way back to 1902 from an assortment of plots across four different vineyards, all at altitudes between 750 and 1450 meters above sea level.

The result is a natural acidity that will cut through the char of the grill, perfectly balancing those super concentrated black fruits. Great notes of blueberries and violets, a harmonious symphony of juicy notes that set up for a great lingering finish.