INSIDER'S PICK: 2015 COUSINO-MACUL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 'DAMA LA PLATA' $18.99

Chile's wine making traditions are rooted in European influence, initially by the Spanish as a colony in the 1500s and 1600s, and by the French in the 1800s after their independence. Bordeaux has been a particularly strong influence, key to developing the growing of those varieties in the Maipo Valley and influencing the wine style. After the phylloxera blight struck Europe in the late 1800s many winemakers in Bordeaux made the move to Chile to continue working. Even today the wine from Chile is more similar in style to Bordeaux than Argentina, following the earthier and more structured template of the French wines. Cousino Macul is among the oldest wineries in Chile, continuously owned by one family since its inception in1856, and honor their founder Isadora Goyenechea, one of the earliest female influences in the wine industry and certainly within Chile.

While many Chilean Cabernets (and Bordeaux, especially in the lesser vintages) can suffer from under-ripe green pepper tones that plague the inexpensive wines, this is pure currants and dark earthy fruits with the richness and intensity of a barrel sample from a fine Medoc Chateau. The palate is equally rich and intensive, plush and well structured with firm drying tannins and a pop of needed acidity to pull out some brighter cranberry and red fruit flavors that add length of finish and surprising complexity. This has loads of Old World pleasure and still has plenty of immediate approachability, and a great wine to bring to the dinner table.

---