Santa Carolina Cabernet Sauvignon

Price: $2 (ya, for real!)

Appearance: A deep, almost violet red

Nose: Very sweet, dominated by a strong berry smell, but altogether not very strong

Palate: Very fruity, the dominant flavor being blueberry, with little spice to it. It finishes pretty rough and doesn't leave the most pleasant taste in your mouth, with a slightly chalky texture

Verdict: As one of the easy to find budget wines of Chile, the Santa Carolina Caberbet Sauvignon disappoints. It tastes as if someone mixed grape juice with malt liquor (a la Franzia?) and doesn't have a noteworthy nose. Maybe this is why my family uses Santa Carolina as a cooking wine... For $2 a pot you can't expect much, but there are certainly better Chilean wines near this price. Frankly, I'd rather drink boxed Gato wine (which is surprisingly good). Go on, spend the extra $1 to get yourself something that's worthwhile (This should carry some weight coming from a broke, stingy college kid).

Concha y Toro: Casillero del Diablo Carmenere

The original "Casillero del Diablo"

Note the devil silhouette at the end of the hall

Casillero del Diablo, the coolest named wine in all of Chile, literally means "Devil's locker." It comes from a hundred year old story of a winemaker who in order to protect some of his best wines from being stolen, started a rumor that one corner of his cellar was possessed by the devil. The legend goes that the trick worked, and the name stuck. You can still visit the original "Casillero del Diablo" section of the Concha y Toro cellar outside of Santiago. There's even a little devil painted on the far wall.

Price: $7

Appearance: This carmenere takes on a very deep red color, highlighted by lighter, more transparent borders

Nose: The smell is not overly powerful, with a base of sweet fruits and a slight hint of spice

Palate: This Casillero del Diablo version of the hugely popular and characteristically Chilean carmenere grape is extremely smooth. It doesn't have the sugary sting associated with cheaper carmeneres but instead is defined by a smoothness and a clean finish. The taste brings out more of the spice of the wine, with flavors of pepper.

Verdict: This was an extremely enjoyable wine. It's price is about double that of other good cameneres, but the quality difference is very noticeable. Can be drank with a variety of wines, as well as being a great stand-alone wine, perfect for a relaxing night. Perfect as a gift wine, when you would like to bring something a little bit nicer and that has a good story behind it. Also a great option when you're out with a lady and would like to show a little bit of sophistication along with a mysterious side. You know guys, to keep her guessing. You don't want to play all your cards too soon.