Winemaker Notes
This ruby red wine’s nose is very intense, with a lot of red fruits and cherries, combined with suave notes of cedar from its time in barrel. Elegant in mouth with round tannins and a rich acidity that provides a fresh, juicy sensation. A wine with great structure and tannins, it’s also fruity, complex and has a lot of persistence.
Blend: 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 7% Carménère, 3% Syrah, 2% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A pretty and juicy wine with delicious fruit and balance of earth. Medium to full body, fine and silky tannins and a fresh finish. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, syrah, petit verdot and cabernet franc.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Sideral was also ready for tasting, and in that slow ripening year, the final blend was significantly different than the 2014, with 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Carmenere, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Syrah and 2% Petit Verdot. But, the vinification and élevage were similar, in a mixture of stainless steel and oak vats, and aging was in 225- and 600-liter barrels for one year. But, but in 2015 they also introduced some 3,000-liter French oak foudres for the élevage. It feels more fruit-driven, obviously it's one year younger than 2014. They have eschewed herbicides and pesticides as they are moving towards organic farming. They still don't feel confident to do a full native fermentation, but they started with maybe 10% in 2015. The palate is juicy and approachable, somehow different than the 2014 but at a similar quality level.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
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.