Chic and sleek, the single vineyard wines of Casarena will impress. The beautiful packaging, delicious wines and fair prices will thrill both the giver and the receiver this holiday season and beyond.

There's a good story to share with the lucky recipient, too, to help you sound cultured and wine savvy (which, naturally, you already are). The winery takes its name from the fusion of “casa”, meaning house, and “arena”, meaning sand. The "house" refers to the restored, original winery built in the 1930s, and the "sand" refers to the sand-colored stone of the winery as well as the sand in the soils in which the vines grow. Happy gifting! 

91
Casarena 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Owen's Vineyard Agrelo $30
This single vineyard wine is made from organically grown fruit that was trained in a pergola style (and still is today) when the vines were planted over 80 years ago!

This is a Cabernet Sauvignon for the enthusiast of more vibrant Cabernet. It's crunchy, lean-ish and crisply fresh. Its full body is fueled by feisty blackcurrant, acai and cola flavors. The tannins have resolved nicely, so it's the acidity that gives the wine some structural punchiness. Evergreen scents (yes, it will pair nicely just sitting and admiring a Christmas tree) lift the aromas then move into savory, green bell pepper tones on the palate. However, it shows incredibly well at the table, too, with a wide range of pairing possibilites. It was just as brilliant with an Impossible Burger as with a flank steak accompanied by chimichurri sauce.
Drink: 2019-22

90
Casarena 2014 Malbec Naoki's Vineyard Agrelo $30
Hailing from a newer site with limestone outcrops, Naoki’s vineyard also sits in the southern end of the Agrelo sub-region of Luján de Cuyo, but on the opposite side from Owen's Vineyard, on the eastern edge.  

Lush and open on the palate, this nicely aged Malbec initially tastes as though it is ready-to-please. It just takes its time to get "there" aromatically. Definitely decant it, or opt to enjoy it over several days. I kept one open bottle for three days, and it was fascinating to follow its development. When first opened, this Malbec had a fervent forest fruit core. At its most expressive, it tasted of sweet red cherries and After Eight Chocolate Thins. The tannins were initially strident - surprising for a five-year-old wine, but they ratcheted down with air and time. There's plenty to like here, especially the generous and tugging, minerally finish.
Drink: 2019-21