Winemaker Notes
Deep ruby-red with an eye-catching, violet hue. On the nose it’s complex and elegant. Pronounced, delicious aromas of ripe red and black fruit melt into inviting chocolate, mocha and brioche. The nose is well-balanced, with a little spice in the background. The French oak lends some toasted notes that complement the aromatic pro le, while adding a slight sensation of sweetness. On the palate, it shows itself to be a wine of great Carmenère character and typicity, with rich acidity that is well balanced with the generous body. The tannins are velvety and give way to a long memorable finish.
Highly recommended with red meats, stir-fried beef and vegetables, pork chops, spaghetti with Bolognese sauce, lamb chops, and mushroom ravioli.
Blend: 90% Carmenère; 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Black fruit, herbs, chili, black olives and spices on the nose. It’s full-bodied with chewy tannins. Creamy, but structured and fresh in the mouth. Layered with a flavorful finish. Drink or hold.
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Wine & Spirits
Aurelio Montes makes his home base in Colchagua, farming vineyards in two areas with a talent for carmenère—inland, in Apalta, and toward the coast in Marchigüe. His 2019 is tense and floral, with dark-roast-coffee and dried-plum depths in the flavors. Intensely mineral in its tannins that feel like broken rock, this wine needs grilled meats or grilled mushrooms to show its best.
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.