jamie goode's wine blog: Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 - brilliant value?

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 - brilliant value?

Picked up a bottle of Concha y Toro's Casillero del Diablo 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. What does the devil's cellar yield? Actually, a rather good cheapie.

For just £4.99 you get dense, sweet blackcurrant fruit with lots of savoury spiciness, a hint of burnt rubber (not as bad as it sounds in this context) and some grippy tannin. Look, they make oceans of this wine. You can buy it anywhere. And it's actually pretty tasty, with enough oomph to be a good food match. It isn't totally spoofy and sweet, but actually tastes like proper wine.

Part of the secret is that Concha y Toro are right on the ball. Of the seriously large wine companies, they are at the top. The other part of the secret is the 2007 vintage, which was really good in Chile - and they are pointing this out to consumers on the capsule.

To be honest, I'd prefer this honest, dense, slightly rustic Cabernet to some of the more spoofed-up, confected icon wines from Chile. Am I nuts? And if you can find it, I'd also recommend the 2007 CdD Carmenere, which is even better.

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7 Comments:

At 9:34 PM, Blogger Mats L said...

I'm drinking the Carmenère tonight. Great stuff with none of the green peppers scent I sometimes get with less than ripe Carmenère. Plenty of fruit, but good acidity. To be drunk young.

 
At 10:57 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

What does "spoofy" and "spoofed-up" mean?

 
At 8:56 AM, Blogger Jamie said...

I am not a lexicographer, but spoofulated = fake, made to taste like something it isn't, confected, tricked-up, non-serious

 
At 11:04 PM, Anonymous Alastair said...

I've been very impressed by most Concha y Toro wines. The Devil's Cellar Carmènere was something I unexpectedly encountered at a chain pub in south Manchester!
Have only got up to 2006 so far though.
That was going at Sainsbury for £5.99 only a couple of months ago.

 
At 2:52 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't know why I'm not a fan of this year...The Devil's Cellar has been my favorite cheap guilty pleasure for a few years now, but I haven't found a 2007 bottle I like yet. :(

 
At 6:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The 2007 is seriously below par for this wine. This year is watery.
Is this the end of Casillero del Diablo being the king of the £5-6 bottle? We will see when the 2008 is released.

 
At 4:47 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"The 2007 is seriously below par for this wine"???

you must have gotten a bad bottle, or you haven't much experience with this wine. the 2007 is the best I've ever tasted.

 

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