Winemaker Notes
"Grown on an alluvial terrace of the Maipo River, this Carmenere is potent and ripe, its deep black fruit flavor floating over a soft, voluptuous texture. For boar." 91 Points
Wine & Spirits
February 2009
Professional Ratings
-
Wine & Spirits
Grown on an alluvial terrace of the Maipo river, this carmenère is potent and ripe, its deep black fruit flavor floating over a soft, voluptuous texture. For boar.
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.
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.