Carmenere flourishes in this region of Chile’s grape growing regions or so I have been told. I plan to witness this phenomenon some day. My first taste of Chilean grapes was in 1987 and the quality of wines and values continues to impress me vintage after vintage. Let’s get on to the business at hand, reviewing this wine. Opening notes revealed a deeply hued wine of excellent clarity. The nose does not do this wine justice but Carmenere has never had a bold smell about it. The taste represents the quality and tradition of Old World wine making techniques with New World grapes. Although I find the mocha word as a description a bit too trendy for me, it fits the top-end flavor of this wine. The plum-berry flavors are subtle, not faint, and the finish requires a time lapse that lets the drinker reflect on what a delicious gem this wine opened up to be.

Rating: 87 | $9 | 13.5% ABV

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