2011 Lapostolle Casa Grand Selection Carmenere

When you taste thousands of wines every year you come to realise that much of it is made in a half-hearted fashion, being either blandly commercial or too heavy handed and with varietals expressing a sameness, regardless of origin or 'terrior'. Then something comes along that breaks the monotony. Chile's Carmenere achieves just that. The varietal is capable of bold, flavoursome yet balanced and complex wines. Those from the Caliterra stable are stylistically similar, each sharing a complexing dried leaf / tobacco characteristic that overlays the spicy, ripe fruit notes. It's an unmistakable and unique combination that's prompted critics internationally to conclude of Chilean Carmenère: 'When they're good, there's really nothing else quite like it'.
Rapel Valley is one of the few places where Carmenère have found ideal conditions for growing. It is located in the central part of Chile, including the sub Valleys of Cachapoal and Colchagua. It has a semi–arid Mediterranean climate with a winter – only rainfall pattern. During the growing season, warm and dry days combine with pleasantly cool nights as a result of cold breezes coming from the Andes Mountains. Rapel also has a cool influence from the Pacific’s Humboldt Current which lowers temperatures in the coastal areas of the Valley. This leads to warm days with ample sunlight and dry conditions, allowing a slow ripening period. Carmenère is able to fully ripen but maintain all its fresh notes that are so unique to the variety.

This excellent value priced Carmenere shows great colour saturation with an opaque black purple core and very dark purple black tinged hue. Ripe blackcurrant and blackberry aromas are followed by a touch of liquorice all overlaid with tobacco overtones finishing with some spicy cedar end notes showing strong intensity. On the generous palate ripe blackcurrant and blackberry flavours infused with tobacco are to the fore with the tobacco characters carrying right through to the long finish. Some cedar and spice nuances are also present. Fine grained yet solid tannin structure. Long ripe blackcurrant, tobacco, cedar and spice aftertaste.
Cellar 5-6 years.
Alc Vol: 13.5%
Stelvin