Winemaker Notes
This GCM blend is an intense red color with violet hues. The notes of fresh red fruits, such as raspberries and cassis, are very noticeable on the nose. It also has some earthy notes and a hint of black pepper. The palate of this medium-bodied wine is highly expressive and very refreshing because of its high acidity, with lots of fruit, such as cherries. It has smooth tannins and is long in the finish. This wine reflects its origins and, being a blend of three varieties, it is a complex wine. It has red fruit from the Garnacha, structure from the Cariñena and some animal notes from the Mataro. It has not been filtered or clarified, so a natural sediment may appear over time. This wine is ready to drink now but will become more complex over the next 3 to 6 years if stored at controlled temperatures with minimal light exposure. We recommend serving this wine at between 14°C and 17°C to maintain its freshness. This is a very food-friendly wine, that pairs well with mature cheese, cold cuts, such as Serrano ham, Spanish paella, lamb and pork. It is also delicious by itself, sitting on the terrace.
Blend: 62% Garnacha, 19% Carinena, 19% Mataro
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I found ripe red fruit in the 2017 Grey GCM, a Mediterranean blend of 62% Garnacha and 19% each Cariñena and Mataró (Monastrell) with more concentration and power, still fresh for a warm year and a warm place like Apalta. It has fine-grained tannins and a soft texture, nice balance, ideal for tapas and light foods like charcuterie. 17,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2018.
-
James Suckling
A clean and fruity wine with juicy fruit, lemon rind and apple skin aromas and flavors. Medium body, light tannins and a flavorful finish. A blend of garnacha, carinena and mataro.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
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.