None of us really know anything about wine, if we are being honest with ourselves. The only people on this planet who know what they speak are the actual scientists and magicians who craft the grapes, tend the soil, do the harvesting and make the alchemy happen. Everyone sitting back, uncorking, and enjoying their works can only deliver rhetoric in the reform of subjective opinion. Consumers only know what we are told and what we absorb. There's so much more to the story.
We know Catena gets a lot of love on here. Like A LOT. And we know that there are so many other producers out there worth exploring and reviewing, but there's a comfort in knowing that whatever is in the bottle won't be bad. That goes a long way when inflation is spiraling out of control, climate change is threatening to destroy everything and time is short. So Altaland may be a deviation from their main line, but it is a most welcome one. And so we stop chatting and start dancing, pretending to know the moves.
After decanting for a spell (about 30 minutes) there's a lovely blend of dark cherry and honey on the nose, both of which make an appearance on the palate along with a predictable construction of blackberry and spice. It's not big and burly as I had anticipated, but is quite approachable with fine tannins traveling along to a very easy finish. I would certainly pick this up again, and rate it against any of the higher-priced offerings from the family.
$20 USD