2020 Vina Carmen Carmenere Reserva Premier 1850
Type of Wine | Red |
---|---|
Country | Chile |
Region | Colchagua Valley |
Winery | Vina Carmen |
Vintage | 2020 |
Grape | Cabernet Sauvignon Carmenere |
Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (13%) |
Drink window | 2022 - 2025 |
Viña Carmen was founded in 1850, which is prominently reflected in this reserva range, Premier 1850. In 1994, the grape variety Carmenère was rediscovered in the vineyards of Carmen. It was long thought that this grape variety was extinct because of the grape aphid, but research showed that the grape was still planted in the Alta Maipo Valley vineyards of Carmen. Since its rediscovery, the Carmenère grape has become the signature variety for Chilean viticulture.
The harvested grapes are destemmed and crushed, the fermentation starts at a temperature of 25ºC to 28ºC. When fermentation is complete, the juice is clarified. The wine is aged in wooden barrels, giving it a pleasant smoky taste.
The Carmenere Reserva Premier 1850 'Carmen' is a red wine with an intense violet-ruby color. In the nose, the wine is fruity with notes of plum, cherry and mulberry. It also has a vegetable edge of ripe red pepper. The taste is complex with notes of jam, spinach and chocolate. Aging in wooden barrels gives this wine pleasant smoky and toasty notes, which reveal the taste of spices. The texture is soft, with rounded tannins and medium body.
Awards:
Harvest year 2017 - 8 (PhD thesis)
Carmen is the oldest of the bodegas still active in Chilean viticulture. The house was founded in 1850 by Chistian Lanz, who named the winery after his beloved wife Carmen. Until 1987 it led a fairly inconspicuous existence. However, it was then taken over by the Claro family, who were also involved as co-owners in companies such as Santa Rita and Los Vascos. Substantial investments were made, and the opportunity was seized to establish one of Chile's most modern wine companies. In 1994, the carménère grape variety was rediscovered in the vineyards of Carmen. It was long thought that this grape variety was extinct because of the phylloxera, but research showed that the grape was still planted in the Alta Maipo Valley vineyards of Carmen. Since its rediscovery, the carménère grape has become the signature variety for Chilean viticulture. Due to the construction at the foot of the Andes mountains, the new cellars from the winery could be constructed in such a way that all movements with the wine only take place under the influence of gravity. The use of pumps, which somehow 'damage' the wine, make it less of a quality, is completely avoided in this way.
However, the basis of Carmen's success does not even lie in the state-of-the-art installations, but in the vineyard. The professional team of oenologists, led by María del Pilar González, also plays an important role in the production of quality wines. With its arrival in the early 1990s, the emphasis was placed on the quality of the grapes by the young winemaker Alvaro Espinoza. Now that winemaker Emily Faulconer has taken over Carmen's premium range, the focus is on making wines with their own identity and salvaging the value of the terroir they come from. Winemaker Emily Faulconer studied agricultural engineering at the Universidad Católica de Chile. She worked in wineries in the United States (Cakebread Cellars), New Zealand (Trinity Hill Winery) and France (Chateau Canon). Faulconer has also previously worked as head winemaker in Viña Arboleda, where she managed the viticultural and viticultural areas, emphasizing the production of fine wines with a sense of origin.
Type of Wine | Red |
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Country | Chile |
Region | Colchagua Valley |
Winery | Vina Carmen |
Grape | Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere |
Biological certified | No |
Natural wine | No |
Vegan | No |
Vintage | 2020 |
Drinking as of | 2022 |
Drinking till | 2025 |
Alcohol % | 13 |
Alcohol free/low | No |
Content | 0.75 ltr |
Oak aging | Yes |
Sparkling | No |
Dessert wine | No |
Closure | Cork |
Promotion | Tier Price |
Tasting Profiles | Earthy, Rustic, Dark fruit, Dry, Aged on wood, Powerful, Spicy, Full |
Drink moments | Barbecue, Cadeau!, Lekker luxe, Met vrienden, Open haard |