Winemaker Notes
The skills of our viticulturist, Xavier Chone, and our blenders, Jacques and Eric Boissenot, are clearly apparent in this balanced and elegant blend. The spices, black fruit and smooth texture of the Carmenere, the principal component of the blend, are complemented by the extraordinary finesse and length on the palate by the Cabernet Franc. Viola is 85% Carmenere, 15% Cabernet Franc.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Well-crafted with ultra-fine tannins and a beautiful depth of fruit. Blackberry, blueberry, dark chocolate and hints of hazelnut… long and flavorful finish.
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Wine & Spirits
This is a blend of carmenere (85 percent) and cabernet franc, two varieties rich in herb and tobacco notes that come together here in a delicious way. It’s surprisingly refreshing for a wine grown in the sun and heat of Colchagua (this grows in Palmilla, in the heart of the valley), as breezy as a warm afternoon in the country.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
A substantial effort the does not go over the top, the attractive and quite rich 2009 Maquis Viola is more than just another trying to be cool wine; it is a cool wine. Shows superior riches all the way and around. Deep ruby, purple in color; fairly heady in the nose, fine depth; ripe berries and sweet oak in the flavors; dryish, medium acidity, well balanced; juicy, red and black fruit flavors, with some sweet oak and licorice; medium to long finish. Drinking well now, but will do even better with a year or two of bottle age. (Tasted: November 23, 2015, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
A refined style, with flavors of dark currant, raspberry and allspice that are lush and well-structured. Very creamy midpalate, featuring a finish loaded with cocoa powder and mocha notes. A big red that should match well with roasted meats. Drink now through 2020.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Well-regarded for intense and exceptionally high quality red wines, the Colchagua Valley is situated in the southern part of Chile’s Rapel Valley, with many of the best vineyards lying in the foothills of the Coastal Range.
Heavy French investment and cutting-edge technology in both the vineyard and the winery has been a boon to the local viticultural industry, which already laid claim to ancient vines and a textbook Mediterranean climate.
The warm, dry growing season in the Colchagua Valley favors robust reds made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Malbec and Syrah—in fact, some of Chile’s very best are made here. A small amount of good white wine is produced from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.