Winemaker Notes
The nose is perfumed and complex with outstanding aromas of ripe red and black fruits over subtle notes of crème de cassis, tobacco, and leather. Spice aromas of red and black pepper mingle with cinnamon and dark chocolate notes. In palate is smooth but structured, with silky tannins.
Pair with red meat, lamb or cheese.
Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is a powerful and rich red with so much density and power yet there's an underlying freshness and energy. Hints of vanilla and walnuts. Full body, chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Better in 2022 but impressive already.
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Wine Spectator
Rich, robust and lusciously spiced, with concentrated dark cherry, plum and boysenberry flavors supported by fresh acidity. Intense midpalate minerality is followed by a finish loaded with chocolate and cream notes. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2024.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Alpha M is a mature reflection on the stylistic evolution of this blend, highlighting a gradual decrease in ripeness and new oak usage over the past 15 years. Its expressive nose showcases secondary aromas of dried herbs, cracked leather and damp earth, leading to a soft, plush palate gently supported by a subtle backbone of acidity and tannin that extends through the nuanced, fine-grained finish.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
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.