Bodegas Caro ‘Caro’ 2019 Mendoza, Argentina 75cl

Bodegas Caro was born in 1999 from an alliance between two wine families, the Domaines Barons de Rothschild of Lafite and Nicolas Catena of Argentina. The name draws on both houses, and the ambition is a single wine that marries French craft with Mendoza fruit.

Caro is the top wine of the project, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec drawn from established vineyards across Mendoza. Cabernet lends structure and the dark, firm profile of Bordeaux, while Malbec brings the plush fruit and warmth that high-altitude Argentina gives so well. The two grapes are held in balance rather than one dominating.

The 2019 vintage carries ripe Mendoza sun with a Bordeaux sense of restraint, feeling harmonious and fresh at its core. The fruit is drawn from mature, high-altitude vineyards around Agrelo, La Consulta and Vistalba, whose elevation preserves acidity and lift. It matured for around fourteen months in French oak, part barrique and part large foudre, which frames the fruit without overwhelming it.

On the palate expect cassis and dark plum, graphite, sweet spice and a thread of cedar from the barrel. The tannins are fine-grained and the finish long and savoury. It drinks well now with air and has the balance to reward several years in the cellar. Serve with grilled beef, lamb or a rich mushroom dish.

If you like serious Cabernet-led blends with a European accent, Caro sits in fine company. It is a considered, ageworthy red that shows what happens when two great wine cultures pull in the same direction.