Rapel Valley, Chile

85% Carmenère; 15% Merlot.

We will remember 2008 as a year with a very cold and dry winter. The spring was drier and flowering conditions were good. The summer was hotter and drier with higher temperatures than normal. These conditions lead to grapes deeply colored and richly flavoured. During the harvest, conditions were very good and we completed harvest before the end of April and the first significant rain. The results were very promising and we had for the first time Carmenère with the quality we needed for our Casa range.

All the grapes were harvested by hand in small cases of 12 kilos and carefully transported to the winery. We obtained clean and pure fruit with strict quality control of the bunch and the berries. Then all the grapes were macerated up to 4 weeks to extract structure and colour. During maceration, the fermentation lasted about 2 weeks in stainless steel tanks, utilizing native yeast at 28-30° C. After fermentation 75% of the wine was aged in French Oak barrels to add an extra layer of complexity but keep the expression of the fruit. We added a dash of Merlot from Apalta to enhance the complexity and add more red fruit to the spiciness of the Carmenère. Our 2008 Casa Carmenère has a charming nose, soft and juicy tannins and a pleasant long finish. The first vintage, with many more to come. A wine with personality and great for food paring.

Color: Deep violet color with purple hints. Nose: Intense and complex nose full of aromas: white pepper and red fruit at the start, then prunes and black cherries with some hints of sweet spices.Palate: Juicy tannins with soft structure and balance; fresh fruit flavors at the finish.Service and Food Pairing: Serve from 16° C (60° F) to 18° C (64° F). The ideal companion for pastas, pork and grilled red meat.

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