here's a wine with some real tension! It's got a strong spicy bouquet - ...blueberry, smoke, jalapeno brandy liqueur, cigar, leather. the palate is surprisingly smooth, but the tension between oaky fruit bomb and earthiness complicates things, but in a nice way. This wine has a little bit for everybody to enjoy. Great finish!

Dark ruby with a medium+ intense nose.

Positives: I'm not usually a Carmenere fan because a lot out there is boring. Well this is anything but featuring cedar, bramble fruit pie, tobacco, dried fig, mesquite, spiced apple, peppers (red, black & white), truffles, plums & ripe tamarind. Full body with medium tannins, good acidity & long length.

Negatives: There's heat coming from the 15% alcohol.

Drink now or in the next 5 years on its own as a meal or pair it with venison.

Tasted: 16 June 12

Best Buy

Score: 9+/10, Value: 9.5/10, Total: 19/20

Out of 5 stars, I rated this wine: 4.5

Second year in a row I’m on this Chilean. You’ll love this if you love the stinky, full bodied wines. This is like Marty Brodeur BBQing with his gloves on. Its smell like smoke and sweaty leather mitts, has amazing balance, and will age very well. Have a few of these ready for game 7 with a charred leg of lamb with a side of mint sauce.

This wine was definitely made in a style to please the North American palate. A big imposing wine, overly fruity with high alcohol at 15%. This Carmenère opened up with aromas of blueberry, ripe berry pie, tobacco, leather, cedar with savoury and smoky notes. On the mouthfeel, full bodied with an explosion of sweet ripe fruit covering the palate, low acidity and mild tannins. The finish is flavourful with a velvety texture and sweet. This wine was much better with food (I paired it with Indian Food) than alone after a meal. The spiciness of the Indian food with all its flavours tame the sweetness of this Carmenère. For fans of this style, it’s a great value. But for me, it felt a bit too much manipulated and overdone. Fruit is overripe, alcohol is too high and too much toasty oak.