Maquis, Colchagua Valley (Chile) Carménère 2011

This producer is among the most consistent in Chile in offering outstanding quality along with strong value in a price range that the country has yet to effectively secure.  Inexpensive wines from Chile are widely available and quite pleasant, just as “statement” wines from Chile are quite impressive, but outstanding offerings priced in the high teens are not so easy to find.  However, this Carménère shows all of the depth and punch that fans of this emerging variety expect, though without any of the green, harsh, or over-extracted characteristics that mar less-than-skillfully made renditions.  The predominant fruit note is blackberry, but there’s also an interesting red berry note, and the balance between fruit, tannin, oak and acidity is excellent.  Delicious now with food, but surely better still with a couple of years of cellaring.