Terranoble Carmenere Grand Reserve 2020

black plum, blueberry, ivy, soy sauce, espresso roast coffee, black pepper

TerraNoble was founded by winemaker Marcelo Garcia in 1993 to showcase the diverse soil types and sub-regions of Chile’s Central Valley. Today they farm over 800 acres, not only in the Maule, but the Colchagua and Casablanca valleys as well. Originally, most of the red wines produced at the estate were Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot-based, although DNA testing confirmed that the long-lost Carménère grape was being grown as well. The apocryphal stories of “Chilean Merlot” and the lost Carménère grape are fanciful, but the fact remains that this Bordeaux varietal was all but forgotten in its native France but was discovered to have survived in Chile’s phylloxera-free vineyards. Marcelo considers Carménère to be one of the “Noble Grapes” of Chile, hence its inclusion in the winery’s Gran Reserva line.

All of these grapes are sourced from the 150 acre La Higuera vineyard, located in the Maule Valley. The elevation and north-facing vineyard exposure help ensure that the grapes do not over-ripen in this hot region. When you open this wine, I strongly suggest decanting for at least half an hour. Drink now through 2027 with steak fajitas, red beans and rice or blackened chicken kebabs.