Santa Rita, Maipo Valley (Chile) 2010

The grapes — entirely Cabernet Sauvignon — for Casa Real, the flagship wine from Santa Rita, come from their vineyard surrounding their home estate in the Maipo Valley, one of the best regions in Chile for growing Cabernet Sauvignon.  Santa Rita first produced Casa Real in 1989 when it was abundantly clear to them that the grapes from this vineyard were distinct and made a unique wine.  Always focused on quality and distinctiveness, Santa Rita opted not to make Casa Real in 1999, 2000 and 2006 because they perceived quality to be lacking.  Well, quality’s not lacking in the 2010.  It shows a happy marriage of the fruity qualities associated with New World wines and the structure finesse prized in Old World wines.  Young and vigorous, but beautifully balanced, the 2010 Casa Real needs a minimum of another two or three years in the cellar, judging from how the show-stopping 2008 is developing.  The balance and harmony of the 2010 Casa Real suggests that it will develop intriguing complexity and finesse with at least decade more of age, similar to the positively gorgeous 1997 Casa Real I had recently.  Casa Real, like other great wines made from Cabernet Sauvignon, is meant for at least a decade cellaring to allow it to evolve — almost magically — from fruity flavors to earthy leathery ones.