Terrapura, Central Valley (Chile) Carmenère 2008

 This is a terrific example of how good Carmenère can be–even at relatively low price points.  Although the wine is big and robust in flavor, with a meaty texture and impressive intensity, it is well balanced and quite sophisticated.  Fully ripe, with no aromatic notes that are weedy or even herbal, it proves that the green, herbaceous notes that appear in a fair number of Carmenère bottlings are the result of under-ripeness rather than any intrinsic property of the grape variety.  Fruit notes of blackberries and black currents are accompanied by light accents of cocoa powder and espresso beans.  Very impressive stuff, and even more so at this price.