Dominio del Plata (Susana Balbo)
Susana Balbo Brioso Mendoza Red Blend
Mendoza, Cuyo, Argentina
No new-ish notes tonight, except that at ~2 years since our prior bottle, the alcohol heat has considerably subsided, also chocolate+fig+cigar box now in the nose. Decanted 3h.
Paired to Allen Bros. tenderloin tails, grilled to a beautiful 130°F (55°C), smashed new potatoes from our garden and local, mid-season sweet corn (it's the best time of the year to enjoy corn).
I now suggest this wine (2013) can hold, in proper storage, until 2028-33 until a very good drinking window.
Prior notes:
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Franc & 5% Petit Verdot
Color is deep plum, like totally opaque, but a beautiful semi-translucent blackberry color at the edge of the glass.
Nose is liquor of cassis, some noticable heat from the alcohol (14.5%), plum juice, light oak.
Palate is very smooth, dusty plum, blackberry, blueberry skin, mocha, coffee bean; tannins are still grippy, finish is about 45s.
Generally a very nice bottle, we bought this in March '18, just getting to it tonight finally. Very impressed by this effort, light years ahead of the entry level Balbo wines. We only ever came across this once, $35 was a solid buy, and hands down my favorite Balbo wine to date.
No new-ish notes tonight, except that at ~2 years since our prior bottle, the alcohol heat has considerably subsided, also chocolate+fig+cigar box now in the nose. Decanted 3h.
Paired to Allen Bros. tenderloin tails, grilled to a beautiful 130°F (55°C), smashed new potatoes from our garden and local, mid-season sweet corn (it's the best time of the year to enjoy corn).
I now suggest this wine (2013) can hold, in proper storage, until 2028-33 until a very good drinking window.
Prior notes:
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Franc & 5% Petit Verdot
Color is deep plum, like totally opaque, but a beautiful semi-translucent blackberry color at the edge of the glass.
Nose is liquor of cassis, some noticable heat from the alcohol (14.5%), plum juice, light oak.
Palate is very smooth, dusty plum, blackberry, blueberry skin, mocha, coffee bean; tannins are still grippy, finish is about 45s.
Generally a very nice bottle, we bought this in March '18, just getting to it tonight finally. Very impressed by this effort, light years ahead of the entry level Balbo wines. We only ever came across this once, $35 was a solid buy, and hands down my favorite Balbo wine to date.
Vintage 2016 / it seems infanticide... closed in smell, a lot of power and length
Vintage 2016 / it seems infanticide... closed in smell, a lot of power and length
Nov 12th, 201945% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Franc & 5% Petit Verdot
Color is deep plum, like totally opaque, but a beautiful semi-translucent blackberry color at the edge of the glass.
Nose is liquor of cassis, some noticable heat from the alcohol (14.5%), plum juice, light oak.
Palate is very smooth, dusty plum, blackberry, blueberry skin, mocha, coffee bean; tannins are still grippy, finish is about 45s. Decanted about 2hrs.
Generally a very nice bottle, we bought this in March '18, just getting to it tonight finally. Very impressed by this effort, light years ahead of the entry level Balbo wines. We only ever came across this once, $35 was a solid buy, and hands down my favorite Balbo wine to date. I think this has years to go, my guess is this is peaking around 2022-2025.
24hr Update: Alcohol on the nose has dissipated, palate is a little muted today, but still can identify the same traits as yesterday.
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Franc & 5% Petit Verdot
Color is deep plum, like totally opaque, but a beautiful semi-translucent blackberry color at the edge of the glass.
Nose is liquor of cassis, some noticable heat from the alcohol (14.5%), plum juice, light oak.
Palate is very smooth, dusty plum, blackberry, blueberry skin, mocha, coffee bean; tannins are still grippy, finish is about 45s. Decanted about 2hrs.
Generally a very nice bottle, we bought this in March '18, just getting to it tonight finally. Very impressed by this effort, light years ahead of the entry level Balbo wines. We only ever came across this once, $35 was a solid buy, and hands down my favorite Balbo wine to date. I think this has years to go, my guess is this is peaking around 2022-2025.
24hr Update: Alcohol on the nose has dissipated, palate is a little muted today, but still can identify the same traits as yesterday.
No note. I just remember it being very good, lifted, and juicy wine. But then again, Balbo always does a very good job.
No note. I just remember it being very good, lifted, and juicy wine. But then again, Balbo always does a very good job.
Oct 4th, 2017
mellow all the way through and lighter than expected. good wine to have with dinner
mellow all the way through and lighter than expected. good wine to have with dinner
Aug 26th, 2023
Wow. What a pleasant surprise. Delicious
Wow. What a pleasant surprise. Delicious
Jul 19th, 2021
Maybe it’s the “spring” snowday and this is just the right bottle at the right moment—but what a joy, from a woman who’s known to kill it in Argentina. Rich, juicy, dark fruit that I could just swirl and sniff all night-plums and blackberries picked ripe and baked in just a tad of spice. Excited to see if it gets earthy as it decants. Lots of structure and Im gonna go buy a bunch and see how it ages. Thanks Susana 👌🏾💃🏾
Maybe it’s the “spring” snowday and this is just the right bottle at the right moment—but what a joy, from a woman who’s known to kill it in Argentina. Rich, juicy, dark fruit that I could just swirl and sniff all night-plums and blackberries picked ripe and baked in just a tad of spice. Excited to see if it gets earthy as it decants. Lots of structure and Im gonna go buy a bunch and see how it ages. Thanks Susana 👌🏾💃🏾
Mar 21st, 2018
Wildflower honey on the nose. Cherry liquor finish.
Wildflower honey on the nose. Cherry liquor finish.
Nov 12th, 2017
Very smooth wine. Elegante y con buen complejidad sin ser exigente a la persona... ...muy buen vino de Mendoza, Argentina.
Very smooth wine. Elegante y con buen complejidad sin ser exigente a la persona... ...muy buen vino de Mendoza, Argentina.
Jun 21st, 2017