Winemaker Notes
This Carménère stands out for its intense red fruits, good body and long final. It has a bright dark red color. On the nose, aromas of flowers and black spices predominate with certain touches of fresh red fruit. In the palate it is a wine with body and elegant tannic structure, delivering a fresh and fruity final.
Blend: 87%Carménère, 6% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A full-bodied red with rich berries and lightly roasted meat and chocolate. Medium to full body, round tannins and a flavorful finish. A soft, attractive red.
Dark, full-bodied and herbaceous with a spicy kick, Carménère found great success with its move to Chile in the mid-19th century. However, the variety went a bit undercover until 1994 when many plantings previously thought to be Merlot, were profiled as Carménère. Somm Secret— Carménère is both a progeny and a great-grandchild of the similarly flavored Cabernet Franc.
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.