Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of meat, berry and hints of herb follow through to a medium to full body, soft tannins and a flavorful finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
An opaque color and saucy aromas of tomato, plum, herbs and graphite are typical of cool-climate Chilean Syrah. A wide palate is full and generous but also easy to get through. Herbal blackberry, toast and oaky clove flavors finish spicy, peppery and dense, with some unresolved oak.
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.”
A region that has become synonymous with some of the best whites of Chile, the Casablanca Valley is full of dozens of bodegas who either grow fruit here or come from outside to source from local growers for their own white wine programs. The valley runs from east to west, which means that its westernmost vineyards receive the most cooling influence from the reliable afternoon sea breezes. The soils also tend to be heavier in clay in the west, whereas the eastern end of the valley is warmer and its soils are predominantly granitic. Sauvignon blanc thrives here, Chardonnay does well and Pinot noir is not uncommon.