2020 Vina Carmen Merlot Reserva Premier 1850
Type of Wine | Red |
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Country | Chile |
Region | Colchagua Valley |
Winery | Vina Carmen |
Vintage | 2020 |
Grape | Merlot |
Content (Alc) | 0.75 ltr (13.5%) |
Drink window | 2021 - 2026 |
Viña Carmen was founded in 1850, which is prominently reflected in this reserva range, Premier 1850. Merlot has long been a problematic grape for Chilean viticulture. There was once confusion with Carmenère, who was mistaken for Merlot, but turned out not to be. The Merlot itself was often planted in vineyards that were too warm. For this reason, Carmen has opted for the somewhat cooler Colchagua Valley, and within this valley for the best, also relatively cool terroirs. The grapes come from four sub-appellations: Lolol, Pumanque, Marchigue and Apalta. Here the Merlot can ripen perfectly, without the roughness and hardness that is characteristic of the planting of this grape in vineyards that are too warm. By using grapes from different terroirs, the wine gets more complexity and depth. A soak on the skins for a week at about 4oC provides a powerful and intense fruit character. Fermentation at a temperature of no more than 25oC keeps the fruit in the wine perfectly preserved. 80% of the wine is aged for 9 months in French and American oak barrels. The rest stays on stainless steel, for the fresh fruit. By adding some Malbec, the wine has extra depth and backbone, with a pleasant pepper. A special Merlot, red in class.
The Merlot Reserva Premier 1850 'Carmen' is a Merlot with a wonderful intensity in its fruit, with blackcurrants, blackberries, a delicious hint of vanilla, pure in taste, soft and creamy, with a subtle hint of cinnamon and coffee. Great with pasta dishes, but also with game, guinea fowl, slightly matured cheeses, stews.
Awards:
2016 harvest year - 4.0* (press wine)
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 | Merlot |
Biological certified | No |
Natural wine | No |
Vegan | No |
Vintage | 2020 |
Drinking as of | 2021 |
Drinking till | 2026 |
Alcohol % | 13.5 |
Alcohol free/low | No |
Content | 0.75 ltr |
Oak aging | Yes |
Sparkling | No |
Dessert wine | No |
Closure | Cork |
Tasting Profiles | Dry, Fruity, Red fruit, Flexible |
Drink moments | Barbecue, Borrelen, Cadeau!, Met vrienden, Open haard, Voor alledag |