The Drink Business
par Patrick Schmitt le 15/09/2020
This, my top-scoring Carmenere, is made under the watch of the world’s most famous wine consultant, Michel Rolland, using biodynamic vines from Apalta. It has a powerful open nose with ripe red and black fruit, berries and currants, cherries and a touch of green pepper spice, black olive, with a hint of ripe orange, tobacco leaf, then cigar box and creamy coffee. In the mouth this is an explosive wine, with so much delicious fleshy fruit bouncing off the tongue: sweet black cherry, cassis and some ripe plums, then some lingering smoky cigar box, tobacco, toast and cappuccino. The finish is very long, with lovely grippy ripe dry tannins, and, despite the high alcohol, no burn. The multiple layers of fruit gradually fade into a pleasing distance as a subtle orange zest note keeps the mouth watering. Powerful, but very fine. Is there a better (or more expensive) way to win over the Carmenère sceptic?