Winemaker Notes
Deep red with a garnet hue. Aromas reminiscent of black cherries, plums and dry leaves with a hint of green bell pepper are complemented with tertiary notes of chocolate and spice. This Carmenère is soft and plump, with supple tannins and good length.
A perfect match with Peruvian “seco de cordero,” or other lamb dishes such as minced lamb kebabs with “salsa verde”, mint or coriander. Smoky bacon, peppers, zucchini and eggplant too. Fresh chilies, as used in Mexican or even certain types of Thai food.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This has a fragrant nose of fern, moss, bramble bush, raspberries and wild herbs. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, silky tannins and fresh acidity. Juicy.
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Wine Enthusiast
Full bodied and balanced, this red opens with aromas of rose petals, plum, and struck match. The palate features concentrated blackberry, plums and meaty flavors with just enough acidity to lift it up. It has supple tannins and a good finish with dark-chocolate notes. Best Buy.
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.
Touching the Pacific in the west and stretching up into the Andes on its eastern side, the Rapel Valley is one of the more substantial fine red wine producing regions of Chile and contains both the Colchagua Valley in its south and west and the Cachapoal in its north and east. While it is recognized for its exceptional warm-climate reds, the region does produce some fine Pinot noir and Sauvignon blanc on its coastal side.
Some of the country’s finest Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the Rapel’s Andean foothills—with significant individualized smaller zones already identified. Soils here are mixtures of loam, clay, and sand; Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, and Merlot are the most prolific varieties throughout the region.