Santa Rita Reserva Carménère

Spice box, incense, balsamic, herbs; savory, ripe, no hard edges, excellent balance, drink now–5 years.

Inky ruby. Slightly high-toned aromas and flavors of blackberry, licorice and bitter chocolate. Dense yet lively, with good lift and juicy intensity to the dark berry flavors. The lingering finish features building tannins and notes of dark chocolate and herbs.

While herbal aromas initially dominate, notes of green pepper and ripe strawberries emerge to lend dimension to this soft wine. For torta pascualina (spinach pie).

Marshmallow sweetness and oak aromas give it a confected nose, while the mouth is weighty, concentrated and sappy, with mildly raspy berry and plum flavors. More spicy than herbal, with sweetness and forward oak on the finish. A full-force wine, but one that’s fairly basic.

What Malbec has been for Argentina, I’m hoping Carménère will be for Chile! The Santa Rita is lusher than many others, but with the same intense spice and herbal notes that hallmark the grape. Deep black and red currant notes dominate on the palate, with hints of anise, pepper, allspice and green pepper. Perfect for barbecued items, but also works exceptionally well with heavy mushroom-dishes and roasted meats.