Winemaker Notes
A delightful accompaniment to red meats and spicy dishes.
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Syrah from Chile? You bet and the 2011 Concha y Toro Marques de Concha is really fine! Deep ruby, blackish color; black fruit, some licorice in the nose, fine depth, sweet oak in the background; medium to full bodied, sleek and fine on the palate, nice textures from the wine's sweet tannins; dry, medium acidity, well balanced; black fruit, berries, grapey and lasting in the flavors, some oak in the background; medium to long finish, smooth, layered and fresh in the aftertaste. I would like a delectable and warming beef stew with this one. (Tasted: June 3, 2015, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Enthusiast
Complexity on the nose comes via earthy aromas of licorice root, sandalwood and mild berry fruits. The palate is on the big and bullish side, but it’s neither heavy nor fierce. Flavors of ripe blackberry, pepper and chocolate finish with a touch of herbs and mint. Drink through 2017.
Founded in 1883, Vina Concha y Toro is Latin America's leading producer and occupies an outstanding position among the world’s most important wine companies, currently exporting to 135 countries worldwide. Uniquely, it owns around 9,500 hectares of prime vineyards, which allows the company to secure the highest quality grapes for its wine production. Concha y Toro's portfolio includes a wide range of successful brands at every price point, from the top of the range Don Melchor and Almaviva to the flagship brand Casillero del Diablo and innovative stand-alone brands such as Palo Alto and Maycas del Limarí. The company has 3,162 employees and is headquartered in Santiago, Chile.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
The Maipo Valley is Chile’s most famous wine region. Set in the country’s Central Valley, it is warm and quite dry, often necessitating the use of irrigation. Alluvial soils predominate but are supplemented with loam and clay.
The climate in Maipo is best-suited for ripe, full-bodied reds like Cabernet Sauvignon (the region’s most widely planted grape), Merlot, Syrah and Carmenère, a Bordeaux variety that has found a successful home in Chile.
White wines are also produced with great prosperity, especially near the cooler coast, include Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.