Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This shows richness and depth of fruit with dried berry, chocolate and hazelnut. Full body, soft and silky tannins and a lightly chewy finish. A blend of 65% cabernet franc, 30% cabernet sauvignon and 5% carmenere.
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Wine & Spirits
Santa Rita's home base is in Alto Jahuel, in the southern reaches of the Alto Maipo. Farther from the influence of the mountains than vineyards to the north, closer to Santiago, Alto Jahuel tends to be warmer. Any effect of that warmth, however, is diminished in this wine from the cold 2011 vintage. A blend of cabernet franc (65%) plus cabernet sauvignon and carmenere, it's firm and rich, layered with black currant, dark cherry and plum flavors over a dense network of tannins. Still youthful, this could use five years in the cellar before opening it for grilled pork chops.
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of tobacco, vanilla and licorice are nicely intermixed with black fruit scents. The palate on this blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère is hard driving and focused. Flavors of plum, currant and spice hold steady across a tannic, mildly abrasive 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.
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.