Source: The Food Buster|Archive|Argentina

Carinae Malbec Finca Deneza (Reserve Line) 2004
100% Malbec
Not available on Wine-searcher. $16 for the 2008.

This is what, during my visit to Bodega Carinae, my guide termed a “masculine” Malbec—that is, a Malbec that emphasizes earthier and oakier flavors instead of fruitier ones. Carinae produces both types, and it really is interesting to note the differences in wines that are produced with similar methods utilized the same varietal of grape.

The color is very intense, much more so than what I have found in reserve-level wines and in “feminine” Malbecs (like Carinae’s own Malbec Reserva) particularly. There are some shades of orange, red, and purple as well.

The aroma is great—oak, plums, chocolate. And it is strong.

The taste is simple and direct. You can really taste the oaky bitterness. The effect is only augmented by how full bodied the wine is. There is a bit of spice at the end. Overall, the taste is fine, if you like strong tannin flavors, but it’s too one-dimensional for my taste.

8.5/10
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Carinae Octans 2007
60% Malbec (not aged in barrel), 40% Cabernet Sauvignon (aged in barrel)
Not available on Wine-searcher

Dark ruby with numerous reddish tints.

Aroma is of sour cherries, plums, and oak. The fruit and bitterness really come through.

Body isn’t bad, but the wine is still a bit young and very acidic. There is somewhat of an oaky, tannin taste, but the flavor profile is weak in general. Spicy finish adds some complexity.

Overall Sco 7.5/10
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Carinae Torrontes Deneza 2007
100% Torrontes
Region: Salta
$13 on Wine-searcher. 1 Vendor.

Note that this wine is from Salta, instead of Mendoza. Salta is particularly suited for white wines and is one of the few other wine-producing regions of Argentina.

Nothing much to say of the color—just a pure white, with some fogginess to it.

The aroma is of green apples, cherries, plums, and peaches, as well as tropical fruits in general. It’s actually quite nice.

In terms of taste, it’s rather light, with very little flavor and few overtones. It’s also rather dry. There’s really not much to say—it’s meant to be another light, smooth, white wine, and Torrontes isn’t known for having strong flavors to it.

7.5/10.
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Carinae Malbec 2007
100% Malbec
$9 on Wine-searcher. 1 Vendor.

This is a very young Malbec (the youngest of the Carinae line), with no time spent in the barrel.

Good color for a young wine. Rather rich ruby.

Aroma is a bit earthy. Not bad, but very one-dimensional. Somewhat boring.

Taste isn’t very good at all. It’s extremely young and a bit acidic, with little oakiness, i.e. few tannins. It also has little body, little flavor, and lacks much of the strong fruitiness of many Malbecs. Even for this price range, I can’t recommend this wine at all.

7/10.
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Carinae Rosé Malbec 2008
100% Malbec
Not available on Wine-searcher.

It should be noted that this is not a combination of leftover white and red wines, as is common in some inferior Rosés, but rather the grapes are just macerated less than a full-blown Malbec would be. That being said, Malbec Rosés, in my opinion, tend to be a bit on the weak side, since they try to tone down what is a rather flavorful grape.

Everything about this wine is rather light, as a Rosé should be, but this lightness is just dull and uninspired. There is very little aroma, and the little there is smells of dirt. The wine itself is tasteless and bitter, with very little flavor and an off-putting bitterness. It’s also very dry for a Rosé.

6.5/10. Overall, I’d rather stick to some of the white wines in Argentina if I really want a light appetizer wine, even though I’m not a fan of them.
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Carinae Gran Reserva Syrah 2007
100% Syrah
$33 on Wine-searcher. 1 Vendor.
Keeper

Nice ruby color, though nothing very notable of it.

Soft aroma. Grapes, raisins, plums, and coffee in the nose. Plus, there’s a nice earthiness and oakiness to it. The aroma itself is very interesting.

Taste is rather oaky for a syrah. It’s very warming and burns on the way down. It’s rather smooth too. Although it’s rather light for a syrah, it’s rather complex and very round, as the flavor really reaches all the way to the back of the mouth. It’s direct but has subtle notes of spice and coffee, with some sweetness in there too. The overtones are fantastic, though for me they are too weak.

9.2/10
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Carinae Gran Reserva Malbec 2007
100% Malbec
$35 on Wine-searcher. 1 Vendor.

Dark ruby color, but with many tints of orange, red, and violet. Very Intense.

In contrast, the aroma is rather soft, if not a bit weak. It smells of soil, dirt, and a bit of dried fruit or nuts.

The wine itself has great body, and is very bold, strong, and big. Very round too. On the “masculine” side, i.e. it’s not very fruity, but rather more rocky (this actually is a distinction some Argentines make among the styles of Malbecs). It also has some nice nuance to it—there are overtones of spice and coffee. However, it is still on the simple side in terms of its flavors, and it’s possible to find much better Malbecs even at this price range.

8.8/10

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There's a couple more wines by Carinae, but that covers the majority of the line. Hope that helps!