Viu Manent, Gran Reserva Carmenere 2011, Colchagua Valley, Chile

Tasting Note: This wine tastes as though it were the spawn of a chance-night meeting of pinot noir and cabernet grape.

A musty nose gives way to green pepper, and on the palate vegetal hints finish with black pepper. This blackberry-fruit forward, medium-bodied, ruby-colored wine has thinner legs than you’d expect from a carmenere.  It’s not assertive or strong and is surprisingly indistinctive among the pack of camenere’s coming out of Chile.

Viu Manent sauvignon blanc shines.  This carmenere is a rare blemish among an otherwise stellar producer offering (or perhaps this is just the entry point of the lineup).  I know it gets better upstream.

Bottle Note: Harvested from our La Capilla Estate vineyard this wine was carefully matured for 10 months in French and American oak barrels before being carefully bottled.  Deep ruby red in colour, on the hose this wine exhibits fragrant notes of plum, sage and mocha.  In the mouth rich notes of dark chocolate and sweet herbs marry perfectly with well rounded tannins to give a lush, well elegant and balanced wine.  Ready to drink now or will improve with cellaring for up to 6 years.