Casas del Bosque Gran Reserva Carmenere 2018
Dark violet in color, the wine starts with an aromatic explosion of blueberry, vanilla, tobacco, and loam. Smooth and open-knit on the palate, balancing velvety tannins and gentle acidity. Its plush texture, defined structure, and lingering
notes of plums and dried herbs are typical of this variety. Ideally served at 60-65ºF, this wine is pairs extremely well with traditional Chilean cuisine, which features many preparations with red meats and onions. It also goes well with spicy cuisine such as certain types of Mexican and Thai food.
The grapes for this wine grow on rocky, clay soils on a slope overlooking the Cachapoal River. The site is sheltered and relatively warm. Crop levels average 4.5 tons per acre. After the harvest, the grapes were sorted at the winery, destemmed and then crushed to tanks. Fermentation was induced with selected yeasts, lasting a total of 18 days with temperatures peaking at 91ºF. Following the alcoholic fermentation the must was subjected to an additional 3 days of post-ferment maceration. The wine was then pressed off the skins and put into 25% new, 75% used French oak barrels for 12 months during which time it was racked and plunged twice. The wine was then clarified with natural egg whites (sourced from a local free-range hatchery) prior to bottling on May 2019. 1,367 cases were produced.
