Echeverria Family Wines, Maipo Valley (Chile) Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

 Buying a wine with a hefty price tag is a transaction that needs to be justified only by the buyer, and wine writers should not wring their hands that “it’s not worth it.”  To whom?  However, a wine of this quality at this price should be of great interest to those who generally enjoy a similar taste profile in higher-priced wines.  It is a wonderful blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (about 85%), Syrah (10%) and Carménère (5%) that has various flavor strands that don’t compete but blend on the palate – rich, dark-berry and plum flavors meet with dusty, unsweetened chocolate and finally with green herbs that, re-tasted the following day, delightfully remind of Oakville eucalyptus.  The latter characteristic may be interpreted by some as a “flaw,” so they should not purchase it.  Additionally, the Cabernet/Syrah combination seems to be one that winemakers in Cabernet regions have insufficiently explored outside of Australia and to some extent, legally and illegally, in Bordeaux.