The world is awash in good wine and at relatively affordable prices; which raises the question how low can you go and still fine something drinkable.
This one is getting close to the bottom of the barrel, but we’re not there yet. A decent nose and plenty of acidity keep this afloat.
Blackberries and licorice on the nose with subtle vanilla notes in the background, simple but generous and pleasant. The medium-body palate shows more herbal notes; the fruit is shy and leaves a very tart impression while tannins are almost non-existent. Not a well balanced wine but not at all flabby. This is about as good as Cabernet gets at this price point. With a burger to tamp down the tart flavors this will be passable.
Produced by Vina San Pedro, Chile’s 2nd largest exporter of wine, Gato Negro is their biggest seller, selling over 4 million cases in 70 countries.
Score: 83
Price: $4-$5
Alc: 13.5%
Exploring the Philosophy of Food and Wine 