Winemaker Notes
Deep color with a touch of ruby. On the nose, the wine is balanced and complex with several levels of aromas; black fruits such as blackberries or ripe plums, toasted notes of nutmeg, graphite and the classic roasted red pepper typical of the variety. A Carmenère with great complexity on the nose, a young but balanced palate and a pleasant finish.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
This red doesn't hide the herbaceous character that is typical of Carménère, but these flavors are counterpointed by blackberries and hints of baking spices, making it friendly and enjoyable.
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Wine Spectator
Notes of marigold and white pepper underscore this red, with lively cherry and plum flavors at the core that take on a richness near the finish, adding a note of bittersweet chocolate. Drink now through 2030. 19,166 cases made, 2,000 cases imported.
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.