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Santa Carolina Carmenere Reserva De Familia 2011 750ml

size
750ml
country
Chile
region
Valle Central
appellation
Colchagua
subappellation
Rapel
WS
90
Additional vintages
WS
90
Rated 90 by Wine Spectator
This red features a massive structure that imparts a brooding profile. Dense flavors of plum, dried raspberry and dark chocolate help offset the brawny tannins. Mocha accents fill the intense finish. Best from 2017 through 2020.
Image of bottle
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Santa Carolina Carmenere Reserva De Familia 2011 750ml

SKU 759304
Out of Stock
More Details
barrel

Vintage: 2011

The year 2011 was an interesting year for many northern and central European countries, as the weather was more than unpredictable in the spring and summer. However, in most countries, the climatic conditions thankfully settled down in the late summer and fall. The result of this slightly difficult year of weather in France was a set of surprisingly small yields, but overall, these yields were of a higher quality than those harvested in certain previous years. A fantastic set of wines was also made in Italy and Spain, and the Rioja wines - when released - are set to be very good indeed. Austria also had superb year in 2011, with almost fifty percent more grapes being grown and used for their distinctive Gruner Veltliner wines than in the year before. Possibly the European country which had the finest 2011, though, was Portugal, with wineries in the Douro region claiming this year to be one of the best in decades for the production of Port wine, and the bright, young Vinho Verdes wines. In the New World, the Pacific Northwest saw some of the best weather of 2011, and Washington State and Oregon reportedly had a highly successful year, especially for the cultivation of high quality red wine grapes. Chile and Argentina had a relatively cool year, which certainly helped retain the character of many of their key grape varietals, and should make for some exciting drinking. South Africa had especially good weather for their white wine grape varietals, particularly Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, and many South African wineries are reporting 2011 as one of their best years in recent memory.
green grapes

Varietal: Carmenere

The deep blue colored grapes of the Carmenere varietal have their origins in France, where they are still listed as one of the elite grape varietals allowed by French law for the use in Bordeaux wines, generally regarded to be the finest in the world. However, the use of Carmenere grapes in France has been dwindling for many decades now, and it has been in several New World countries where they have seen their renaissance. Although still mostly used as a blending grape, single variety Carmenere wines are greatly sought after as a result of their deep, complex aromas, stunning blood red color and the fact that the grapes, when processed at optimum ripeness, carry some fascinating flavors, including chocolate, tobacco, and spicy cherry notes.
barrel

Region: Valle Central

The Valle Central of Chile is widely regarded as being one of the oldest 'New World' wine regions of earth, with a history that extends back over five hundred years to the time of the first European settlers in South America. Whilst they were mainly preoccupied with planting vines for the production of sacramental wines, today, the wine industry of Valle Central has never been stronger. With a wide range of vines flourishing in the region, thanks to the many micro-climates the valley provides, wineries can make the most of their particular location and produce fully ripened grapes of exquisite flavour and character. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc and Carmenere grow very well all throughout the various areas within Valle Central, and the region is developing a serious reputation for excellence on the world stage.
fields

Country: Chile

Chile has a long and rich wine history which dates back to the Spanish conquistadors of the 16th century, who were the first to discover that the wonderful climate and fertile soils of this South American country were ideal for vine cultivation. It has only been in the past forty or fifty years, however, that Chile as a modern wine producing nation has really had an impact on the rest of the world. Generally relatively cheap in price,Whilst being widely regarded as definitively 'New World' as a wine producing country, Chile has actually been cultivating grapevines for wine production for over five hundred years. The Iberian conquistadors first introduced vines to Chile with which to make sacramental wines, and although these were considerably different in everything from flavor, aroma and character to the wines we associate with Chile today, the country has a long and interesting heritage when it comes to this drink. Chilean wine production as we know it first arose in the country in the mid to late 19th century, when wealthy landowners and industrialists first began planting vineyards as a way of adopting some European class and style. They quickly discovered that the hot climate, sloping mountainsides and oceanic winds provided a perfect terroir for quality wines, and many of these original estates remain today in all their grandeur and beauty, still producing the wines which made the country famous.