This might be called our funky wine for 2008. It is the marraige of Old Bush Vine (80+yrs) Carignan from Maule [75%] and a Field Blend we made from Maipo 25%. The Carignan is fascinating for its freshness, spiceness, different flavour profile and perhaps most because it comes from an area where vineyards have over many decades found there natural balance and require little if any intervention at all.
There is no precise way of knowing what the field blend contained exactly as the mix in the field and not made in the winery. We picked what was ripe and so “al ojo” this wine is Carignan 75%, + Cabernet 15%, Malbec 7%, and Petite Verdot 3%. Try this wine without any preconceptions — try and try it for the first time blind and you will be surprised indeed.
Every year we have tried to push the envelope of quality and new terroirs. We had an expert opinion form the south of France (the cradle of Carignan) and he is happy with the results, but make up your own mind– trust your own palate.
The base or core of the wine is Carignan from two different tanks one hotter (31) for the spice and better extraction and the second for fruit aromas. An official tasting note will follow soon but look out for different red fruits than you are used to even some blueberry and red currants.
The Carignan is fruit from Old-Bush Vines (aprox 80 years) whose age-old balance deep in the Maule lends complexity, spiceness, and a natural freshness and acidity that make this wine rock.
This is an easy quoffing wine today would be cellarable for a few years. We would like to thank a pair of French hands for guidance with the Carignan and a pair of organics hands for their opinions in the blending– both of them know who they are.
Final Note : Carignan is not very popular in Chile. There is relatively little and it makes a wine of European type acidity– higher than Chileans are accustomed. This is not very much like other Carignan we have tried. Perhaps over the next few years a clearer style will develop. Perhaps it will be a component in blends lending freshness, spiceness and finesse as it does in this wine.
Title: Bottling the 2008 Vintage
Various lots go in to this meritage some fermented hotter (30C) for tannins and spiciness and others colder for finesse and persistence of fruit.
