Apaltagua, Reserva Carmenere 2012, Apalta Valley Estate Grown, Colchagua, Chile

Tasting Note: This carmenere has the signature nose of green pepper for which carmenere is often associated.

Medium intensity and ruby in color, the wine gives off strong and pleasing notes of blackberry, black pepper and baking spices including cinnamon.

The carmenere is medium-plus intensity on the palate with added black fruit, black-pepper spice and tobacco flavor finishing with a slight chalky finish at the back of your tongue.

All in all this carmenere is a good representative of the type for which Chile is known.

Bottle Note: Our vineyard in Apalta is nearly 60 years old, and the grapes from these old vine produce wines of remarkable color and intensity. The name Apaltagua is derived from an old Araucanian Indian dialect, and means “the place of Apalta.” We wanted to emphasize Apalta, because it is one of Chile’s premier areas for the production of red wines, something attested to by the quality of this wine. Made solely from Carmenere, and old French varietal now found only in Chile, it has superb color, a spicy, plumy, nose and a ripe, berry fruit palate. In order to preserve as much of this wonderful fruit as possible, the wine was subjected to minimal handling prior to bottling. As a result, it may throw a light but harmless sediment.