Domus Aurea Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
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The 2005 Domus Aurea has a dazzling ruby color and an earthy, balsamic nose with hints of orange zest and chocolate. Aged for 18 months in French oak and another 18 months in the bottle, the Domus is juicy, concentrated, and balanced, with fine, well-integrated tannins. Outstanding with grilled lamb, mushrooms and sweet red peppers.
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Dark and concentrated, with alluring mint, cocoa powder and loam notes covering a muscular core of dark currant confiture and warm fig. The long, well-structured finish drips with terroir and character. The best vintage yet. Young winemaker Jean-Pascal Lacaze has settled in nicely here.
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Wine Enthusiast
Arguably the best Domus to date. This wine is super-complete and remarkably individual. It has that classic Macul-area aromas of black olive and tobacco, but the fruit from this great vintage is elevated and pure. Look for graphite, tar, cassis, cherry and chocolate all rolled into one fine, ageable package. It’s Cabernet from Chile in all its glory.
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The Peña family is committed to extremely low yields. The family's vineyards are divided into five blocks that follow the depth and stoniness of the soil, which are further divided into upper, middle and lower rows. The harvest is not determined by block or row but vine by vine. The winery also utilizes open-top fermentation and personalized oak aging cycles, selecting lots with the most character to be the first wines into French barrels.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Dramatic geographic and climatic changes from west to east make Chile an exciting frontier for wines of all styles. Chile’s entire western border is Pacific coastline, its center is composed of warm valleys and on its eastern border, are the soaring Andes Mountains.
Chile’s central valleys, sheltered by the costal ranges, and in some parts climbing the eastern slopes of the Andes, remain relatively warm and dry. The conditions are ideal for producing concentrated, full-bodied, aromatic reds rich in black and red fruits. The eponymous Aconcagua Valley—hot and dry—is home to intense red wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot.
The Maipo, Rapel, Curicó and Maule Valleys specialize in Cabernet and Bordeaux Blends as well as Carmenère, Chile’s unofficial signature grape.
Chilly breezes from the Antarctic Humboldt Current allow the coastal regions of Casablanca Valley and San Antonio Valley to focus on the cool climate loving varieties, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
Chile’s Coquimbo region in the far north, containing the Elqui and Limari Valleys, historically focused solely on Pisco production. But here the minimal rainfall, intense sunlight and chilly ocean breezes allow success with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The up-and-coming southern regions of Bio Bio and Itata in the south make excellent Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Spanish settlers, Juan Jufre and Diego Garcia de Cáceres, most likely brought Vitis vinifera (Europe’s wine producing vine species) to the Central Valley of Chile sometime in the 1550s. One fun fact about Chile is that its natural geographical borders have allowed it to avoid phylloxera and as a result, vines are often planted on their own rootstock rather than grafted.