Conquista Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine: Conquista Cabernet Sauvignon.

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: Mendoza, Argentina

Vintage: 2009

Price: $7.99

In the glass: Conquista Cabernet Sauvignon is a deeply opaque purplish-red color with a dense core going out into a saturated violet-red rim definition with medium-high viscosity.

On the nose: This wine comes right at you, showing concentrated black currant fruit, creme de cassis, eucalyptus leaves, boysenberry sorbet, vanilla, creme brulee, new oak references, violet pastilles and phenolics.

On the palate: The inside of the mouth is entirely coated with highly extracted, yet balanced black fruit, smashed black currants, brambleberries, cocoa butter and soft vanilla. The midpalate eases up on the fruit bomb characteristics and reveals good complexity with supple tannins, a bit of acidity and minerality, even that unmistakable underlying vertesse, going into a typical South American finish that is shortish, but utterly pleasant. It's a nicely crafted wine from the masterful winemakers at Conquista.

Odds and ends: Argentina continues to supply great value wines to the North American market. Conquista is a wine I have mentioned in the past, when its malbec was reviewed. Malbec is the more typical grape variety in what is the largest surface winegrowing area in the world, namely the vast Mendoza area of central Argentina. Other wines can be made there, too, obviously, and this one is like a regular cabernet on steroids, coming from a universally acclaimed vintage. I have had big Argentinean cabs before, but this one is mercifully only at 13.5 percent alcohol and has a nice balance. Try it with grilled carne asada. It should drink well 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.