Concha y Toro, Marchigüe (Colchagua Valley, Chile) Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Jul 13, 2021

By Michael Apstein

 The heart of Chile’s Colchagua Valley, one of the prime areas for growing red varieties, lies 30 miles or so inland, east of the Pacific Ocean.  Marchigüe, a lesser-known area with the Colchagua Valley, sits on the cooler coast.  At first glance, it may be odd that a winery would want to plant Cabernet Sauvignon, a variety that likes heat, in a cooler area.  After tasting this Cabernet, the conclusion was clear that Concha y Toro, one of Chile’s top producers, knows what it’s doing.  This bottling comes from their Serie Riberas line, which are wines made from grapes grown on riversides, in this case the Tinguiririca River.  Their 2019 Cabernet is exactly what you’d expect from a top producer, such as Concha y Toro.  Classically framed, it delivers both dark, cassis-like fruitiness, accented with wonderful savory, olive-like nuances.  It’s savory, not-just-fruit element is captivating.  Fresh and lively, it finishes with a welcoming hint of bitterness, which makes it perfect for grilled beef.  At a modest (by today’s standards) 13.5 percent stated alcohol shows, once again, that you don’t need super ripe grapes to make a super wine.    

Country / Region

Colchagua Valley, Chile

Appellation

Marchigüe

Grape Variety

Cabernet Sauvignon

Color

Red

Vintage

2019

Score

93

Price

US $ 17.00

Producer

Concha y Toro