Winemaker Notes
Aromas of red fruits, cedar and boldo herbs. It’s fresh and fruity in mouth with cherry flavors and a touch of pepper and rosemary. Silky with velvety tannins and good volume.
Pairs well with beef empanadas, curried lamb and stews.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
This red's nose teeters on the edge of overly savory, with bay and tomato leaf tones leading the way, but the palate shows another side, with concentrated black cherry and cassis notes and a slight mineral and floral undertone lending some dimension. Ends with richly textured tannins and good length. Drink now through 2030. 4,300 cases made, 1,000 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.