The 2012 Natura Cabernet Sauvignon is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot sourced from certified organic and sustainably farmed vineyards in the Rapel Valley in the northern half of Chile’s Central Valley. The Natura label is one of Emiliana Organic Vineyards line of 100% organic, sustainable frown and sometimes bio-dynamic wines. The Rapel Valley is situated between the Andes and the Coastal Mountain Range and it has a very consistent warm climate (with cool nights), which works well with Cabernet Sauvignon vines. 20% of this wine was aged in French oak barrels for 6 months, which gives this Cabernet the expected vanilla and oak spice flavors, along with a bit of structure, but allows the fresh, bright fruit flavors to shine thru. The alcohol content is 13.5% (bottle) or 13.7% (technical notes).
The color is a barely see-thru raspberry jam red with black highlights. The nose is a mix of raspberry, blackberry, Snickers chocolate, French vanilla and violets. This is a sleek, but still juicy, medium bodied Cab. It tastes of cassis, Hersey’s milk chocolate, and sweet blueberry. The mid-palate shows a slight (and welcome) slap from the tannins, smooth vanilla, orange zest and plum. This is an inexpensive Cabernet Sauvignon shows very good balance between the fruit flavors and the over-all structure of the wine. The finish is dominated by the plums and vanilla and lingers for some time.
The 2012 Natura Cabernet Sauvignon is a lot of wine for the money (lists for $11, but can often be found for well under $10). Organic, sustainably farmed, sourced from a sub appellation and not from the larger Central Valley, it has a better resume than most wines it its price range. Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile, takes a little bit from France and a little from California and creates its own unique, but still approachable, take on Cabernet Sauvignon. The Natura Cab is a very good bottle of wine, that it also happens to be certified organic and very affordable is just frosting on the cake.
this wine was received as a sample
