Santa Rita 120 Cabernet Sauvignon

Grape: Cabernet sauvignon

Region: Valle do Central, Chile

Vintage: 2010

Price: $4.99

Availability: Lee’s and supermarket chain stores

In the glass: Santa Rita cab is a deep, dark-ruby red color with an opaque core going out into a crimson-red rim definition with medium-high viscosity.

On the nose: The wine has classic crushed black currants, creme de cassis, marionberry jam and light smokiness with underlying phenolic compound, vanilla from the new American oak and a touch of fruit-driven minerals.

On the palate: The wine is pleasing from the get-go with rounded black fruits, a strong influence by the black currant juice element and some crushed sloe and juicy cherry fruit in another layer. The midpalate starts a little “hot” but then shows good delineation of black fruit with supple tannins and a soft tannic core. The finish lingers with yet more cassis, some smoke and a hint of tobacco.

Odds and ends: If you have ever visited a vineyard or winemaking operation, it is hard to imagine a nice bottle of wine being made from scratch for a mere $5, but yet again I have found one in the market among quite a few that now exist, which has risen above the pack. It is a great deal for wine consumers. Quality in this good bottle of wine is assured by the presence of the more than 120-year-old venerable winery Santa Rita. The winemaker is Cecilia Torres of the famous Spanish Torres winemaking family and she has truly grasped making approachable, yet understated and elegant red wines in this fertile South American land. This Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon from the 120 line of wines is a near-perfect companion to lamb chops paired with roasted potatoes. Drink it now through 2015.

Gil Lempert-Schwarz’s wine column appears Wednesdays. Write him at P.O. Box 50749, Henderson, NV 89106-0749, or email him at gil@winevegas.com.