Winemaker Notes
Complex aromas of raspberry and blackcurrant mix with notes of vanilla and subtle pepper, cedar and leather. The palate is fresh and elegant, with smooth tannins and a persistent finish.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This has a complex nose of plums, raspberries, orange zest, cocoa, candle wax, olives and herbs. Pine cones and sandalwood, too. It’s medium-bodied with tightly knit tannins. Bright and elegant with a very fine texture. Refined and intellectual. Sleek, taut finish. 50% carmenere and 50% cabernet sauvignon, from ancient, over 130-year-old vines. Vegan. Sustainable. Better from 2024.
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Wine Enthusiast
This is deliciously spicy and savory. The nose opens with light notes of aniseed, cumin and incense, joining bay leaf and cherry. The WINE ENTHUSIAST | 109 palate is fresh and steady with firm tannins holding subtle notes of cranberry and tart cherry. Fruit flavors are accented by light notes of nutmeg, cumin, black pepper and dried herbs. It’s flavorful and has a mineral texture and focused acidity.
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.