Winemaker Notes
Very intense color. On the nose there is a wonderfully strong expression of the character of the Carménère variety (fruits of the forest, eucalyptus, and leather), with toasted notes (bay and clove), licorice, and black pepper. Very ample palate with rounded tannins. To finish, aromas of toasted bread and spices ending in a long aftertaste.
Pair this wine with your next serving of roasted or grilled meats.
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.