I was just at a family get-together and my brother-in-law brought a bottle of ’09 Kaiken Ultra Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendoza, Argentina.  He said you have to try this wine.  Now my brother-in-law has a wine cellar that makes mine look like a rank amateur.  So I was intrigued.

Most of the wine I have had from Argentina is of the Malbec grape variety, so I thought a Cab might be different.  My Bride had brought a marinated filet that we were going to have barbequed and then sliced up for everyone to enjoy, plus there was chicken and stuff for the children.

Back to the wine.  The winemaker is from Chile and has developed two wines in Argentina.  One is a Malbec and the other is a Cabernet Sauvignon.   It had a deep color and a good nose.   It was a Cabernet Sauvignon for sure, and not as heavy as a Malbec.  I think maybe that I expected it to be a bit heavier, just from being an Argentine wine.

It hit the spot with the barbequed food, pairing quite nicely and not overpowering the food.  The good news is that it is very affordable and won’t break the bank, which is what one expects at a barbeque.