Moreso than any other grape, Carmenère is the one that in the hands of Chilean winemakers best approximates a great Left Bank red Bordeaux, whether that is their intent or not. And there is no other country that across the board makes better Carmenère varietal wines than Chile. (Invite me to your next Carmenère tasting if you want to argue the point.) Finally, I am not the first to muse whether this could be the grape that Chileans clasp to their wine-stained bosoms the way the over-the-mountain crowd in Argentina has with Malbec. This delightful red is tight and tannic with concentrated blackberry and cassis flavors and some dried fruits in the finish with lots of savory notes. A big and complex wine with many years ahead of it.
Montes, Apalta (Colchagua Valley, Chile) Carmenère 2020
By Roger Morris