Casas Del Bosque Reserva Carmenere 2019
Deep red with a garnet hue. Aromas reminiscent of black cherries, plums and dry leaves with a hint of green bell pepper are complemented with tertiary notes of chocolate and spice. This Carmenère is soft and plump, with supple tannins and good length. A perfect match with Peruvian “seco de cordero,” or other lamb dishes such as minced lamb kebabs with “salsa verde”, mint or coriander. Smoky bacon, peppers, zucchini and eggplant too. Fresh chilies, as used in Mexican or even certain types of Thai food.
90 points James Suckling April 2021
90 points Wine Enthusiast – BEST BUY
While Carménère is certainly well known for its Pyrazine component, this Reserva from Casas del Bosque tames it and balances it pretty well thanks in great part to the way malolactic fermentation is managed during ageing. Also, the fruit is sourced from loamy alluvial soils with excellent drainage, very close to the Cachapoal river. Upon arrival at the winery, all grapes were destemmed and crushed into stainless steel tanks and inoculated with selected yeasts. Fermentation occurred quickly; temperatures reached peaks of 90ºF. After that, the wine was left to macerate for an additional 7 days for added structure and longevity. Half of the resulting wine underwent malo in barrels, where it was left to age for about 6 months. The other half was kept in tanks to complete malolactic fermentation. The wine was finally assembled, filtered and bottled, and total production reached 12,200 cases.
