The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Antiguas Reserva remains one of the finest Cabernet values anywhere (the price has remained unchanged for years). Fragrant black currants and blackberry aromas promise complexity with several years of additional bottle age. Nicely structured on the palate, this elegant, Bordeaux-like Cabernet will evolve for a minimum of five years and drink well through 2025. If there is anyone delivering more bang-for-the buck than Arturo Cousino and his namesake winery Cousino-Macul, I’d like to know about it. One of the first wineries from Chile to make a break-through in the USA market, over the years Cousino has continued to fine-tune his portfolio and the wines are better today than they have ever been. On my recent trip to Chile, I attended a twelve vintage vertical of the Cabernet Sauvignon Antiguas Reserva going back to 1968. The 1968 was right at its peak as was the splendid 1978, the first vintage imported to the USA. There is no reason to think that the current and other recent vintages won’t age as gracefully. If I were a young collector just starting a cellar, this would be an ideal wine to lay down. I will provide details of the tasting on my blog-space on erobertparker.com.Importer: Billington Wines, Springfield, VA; (703) 455-4700; www.cousinomacul.com

Smells big but also herbal and entirely like a Maipo Cab. There’s a freshness to the palate but also olive, herbs, berry fruit and a touch of vanilla sweetness. Medium-length on the finish, with some creamy, candied weight. Good but kind of regular given the price. ——M.S.(12/31/2010)—— 86