Graffigna Centenario Elevation Red Blend – Earthy, Fruity and Tasty

Red blends are where it’s at when it comes to finding good red wines that won’t break the bank.  Sure there are plenty of varietal wines that are good too, but the bang for the buck you get from red blends tends to be more consistent than single-variety wines in this price range.

This blend of 20% bonarda, 20% cabernet saugivnon, 20% malbec, 20% syrah and 20% tannat comes from Graffigna Wines in Argentina.  It’s a winery with a long history, dating back over 140 years.  While its origins are as a family winery, it was sold to Allied Domecq in 1980 which itself was acquired by Pernod Ricard in 2005, bringing the Graffigna brand into the Pernod Ricard portfolio.

It’s been a while since I’ve included this reference in a tasting note, but I get a bit of barnyard on the nose of this wine.  That’s not in a bad way, it is just a bit “earthy.”  It also shows some blackberry and plum aromatics.  The palate is brimming with ripe blackberry, black raspberry, cassis and chocolate flavors.  There’s also a touch of spice, particularly going into the finish.  There’s a vibrancy to the wine from the acidity and a slight silkiness from the tannins.  This is a tasty red blend.

Wine: Graffigna Centenario Elevation Red Blend
Varieties: 20% bonarda, 20% cabernet saugivnon, 20% malbec, 20% syrah, 20% tannat
Vintage: 2012
Alcohol: 14%
Rating: 86
Average price: $10.00
Disclosure: This wine was received as a media sample.

Want another opinion?  Here are some reviews from other folks:

• Wine Compass Blog
• ArgoVino
• Food & Beverage Magazine